


Kill Of the Night

by digirhys, handsomejohn



Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Abduction, Blood, Character Death, Drug Use, Dubious Consent, Kidnapping, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Stockholm Syndrome, Strangulation, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-05-03 08:29:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5283836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys, https://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn/pseuds/handsomejohn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rhys has an unfortunate run in with the city's infamous serial killer, his entire life is turned upside down and torn apart when Jack's fickle mercy has him taking the young man home.</p><p>Story title taken from Gin Wigmore's wonderful song, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGju9VaQuyg">Kill Of the Night</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Exception

Rhys practically dragged himself through the park, weary and aggravated after his day's work. Vasquez sadistically insisted upon piling more projects on top of the coding Rhys was already doing for Henderson, leaving the man little time to so much as breathe. It felt like he hadn't seen his apartment in weeks he'd been so busy. He stifled a yawn, checking the time on his phone and swearing under his breath. He was going to miss his bus home at this rate. Rhys let out a heavy sigh, picking up his pace.

He was more than a little bit dismayed to see his bus already halfway down the street by the time he reached the station. He swore none too quietly, kicking the sign in a fit of anger which he immediately regretted, wincing at the shooting pain that lanced up his leg.

In the shadow of the bus station just behind Rhys’s stop, Jack grinned at the young man’s outburst. Just the reaction he was looking for. He had watched quietly as the bus came and went, leaving Rhys to kick and curse in its wake. The station wasn’t his first choice as far as hunting grounds, but it was late and he had to make due. He was lucky the young man had come along at all, really.

Jack continued watching as Rhys groaned, slumping down on the bench and pulling out his cell phone to check the schedules. This late at night it would be at least an hour until another bus arrived and in that time Rhys could make the walk back home. He was drowning in bone-deep exhaustion, but the sooner he got home the better. Steeling himself for the agonizing walk, Rhys adjusted the shoulder strap on his bag and started resolutely down the sidewalk. Behind him, Jack pushed off the wall and followed.

Rhys was too preoccupied with his own frustrated muttering to take notice of the second set of footfalls that fell into step behind him. He shot Vaughn a quick text, letting the accountant know he wouldn’t be back for a while, before pocketing his phone and stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. Jack observed the phone with some interest, making a mental note that he might have to do some clean up. There may be someone to miss this hapless stranger. It didn’t escape Jack’s notice, either, that Rhys was taller by a few inches, which would’ve been unfortunate if he didn’t look like a noodle of a man.

As both men crossed the street into a dimmer lit portion of the city, Jack grinned. He pulled a garrote from his pocket—his favorite tool aside from good old fashioned hands—and sped up, slowly gaining on the younger man until he was close enough to loop the wire over Rhys’s head and across his neck, jerking back in an earnest attempt to strangle him.

Rhys let loose a strangled gasp, his hands flying up to desperately clutch at the wire as white hot panic flared up in his chest. Jack hummed softly, whispering in his victim’s ear.

“Hussssh now darling. It’ll be over soon.”

A strained whine escaped Rhys as he dropped his right arm, swinging the metal appendage back at his attacker’s midsection in a fit of desperation. It made harder contact than Jack had expected, pushing a harsh cough from the older man’s lungs. Jack slammed his knees into the back of the Rhys’s own, sending the auburn man to the pavement with a pained yelp. Jack followed him down, grinning as Rhys’s weight settled back against his chest.

“You put up a fight, kiddo. Not everyone does. Even made me hurt a bit. That’s admirable,” Jack purred, lips brushing against the shell of the younger man’s ear.

Rhys wheezed, coughing harshly as he tried to take in enough breath to scream. The sound wouldn’t come, but a panicked whimper did. Rhys tried to grip at the wire, tried to pull it away from where he could feel it marring his skin. Blinking rapidly, his ECHO eye came to life with a soft hum as he brought up a hands free call interface.

Jack’s voice took on a sharper tone as the sound registered. “Oh no you don’t, cupcake,” he snapped, taking both ends of the wire in one hand like a dog’s collar, reaching up to fiddle with the port at Rhys’s temple. He hoped to either disable the cybernetic, or else cause enough discomfort to cut the process short. “If you don’t stop that, I’ll pull your eye out. Mmkay?”

Rhys jerked away from the intrusive groping, coughing and hesitantly shutting down the call as he gave a sharp nod, a few tears rolling down his cheeks as his vision began to swim.

“P-please—”

Oh, this one was proving interesting. He seemed pretty compliant, that could be useful. Maybe he’d keep this one…

“Alright kiddo. Listen to me. You’re gonna tell me your name and who you work for. Now I’m gonna let go enough that you can breath, alright? I’m gonna trust you with this, mmkay? Betray my trust and I kill you.” Jack let up his grip, allowing Rhys just enough room to breathe shallowly.

Rhys nodded shakily, still clutching at the wire around his throat. He wheezed, gasping in deep breaths as soon as the pressure across his throat lessened. His whole body trembled and he swallowed thickly, several moments passing before he trusted himself to speak.

“R-Rhys. I’m a p-programmer at Hyperion.”

“Good boy.” His answer made Jack grin. He knew the company well. Making Rhys disappear would be child’s play. “Well, that’s a nice name to hear. Nice to meet ya Rhys. The name’s Jack.”

Rhys whimpered, straining to get his metal fingers underneath the wire. If he could just get enough leverage to snap it…

Jack breathed out an amused chuckle, arching a sharp eyebrow at Rhys’s movements. “Y’see Rhys...What you’re doing there is really stupid. You’re trying to break my favorite wire. I don’t appreciate that.” With that Jack returned both hands to the garrote, giving the implement a rough tug around Rhys’s windpipe.

His breathing cut off abruptly, Rhys arched his free hand back, gripping at Jack’s shoulder as if he could somehow pull himself away from the weapon wrapped around his throat. He wheezed harshly, shifting on the concrete enough to get one foot under himself, pushing roughly backwards. The movement caught Jack by surprise as he was pushed off-balance for a moment, though he caught himself before toppling over, pressing his own foot back against the sidewalk to counter balance and shove against Rhys.

“Still got some fight in you, do you?” Jack chuckled. “I like that, but you’re beginning to waste my time. Either start cooperating and I keep you alive or I’ll kill ya. Did you hear me darling?”

Rhys choked on a broken sob, digging his fingers into Jack’s shoulder as he finally slumped back, body going lax as he gave the man a weak nod. He could feel his throat bruising with dark, vicious marks he was sure would linger. He was surprised the skin hadn’t broken in all his struggles.

Jack winced at Rhys’s tight grip. That, paired with the pain in his ribs meant Jack was in for a night of aches and sores. Now he had another problem, though. This Rhys...he’d promised to keep him alive. He’d have to be Jack’s responsibility now.

With a gentle kiss to the younger man’s temple, Jack hummed softly in his ear. Rhsy grimaced, flinching harshly away from the touch with a pathetic whine, tears still blotting his vision.

“Good job kiddo. Very good. Now I’m gonna stand up on ‘three’ and I need you to stand with me. One...two...three.” As soon as the final syllable left his lips, Jack moved, pulling Rhys to his feet with the wire wrapped around his throat. The young man struggled somewhat, his knees aching and protesting fiercely after their impact with the sidewalk.

“Please. W-what are you doing..?”

“I’m taking you home, kiddo. Can’t have you walking around unsupervised after that act. No no, I’m gonna keep you for myself.” Jack’s tone was eerily casual, almost chipper as he spoke of the impending abduction. “Now pick up your bag Rhys. We’re gonna get you home, mmkay? I mean, unless you want to die right here and now. It won’t be with the wire, either.”

Rhys whimpered, gaping as he tried to formulate a response, some kind of argument, something, but nothing came to him. He slowly knelt down to pick up his bag, shouldering it with shaking hands.

“Good.” Jack leaned closer to whisper in Rhys’s ear, his tone no more than a threatening hiss. “Now I’m gonna let go of the wire and we’re gonna walk like adults. You run and I’ll shoot you. Understand?”

Rhys gave another jolting nod, fingers tight around the strap of his bag. He tensed considerably the moment the garrote left his neck, sucking in a few deep breaths of air now that the restriction was gone. Every fiber in him screamed to run, but he stood obediently still save for his trembling.

“Great job kiddo! You’re not dead yet! See how easy it can be if you just listen?” Jack’s words danced with excitement as he tucked the wire back into his jacket pocket. “Now I’m gonna trust you. You break my trust and I kill you—well, obviously. But I’m gonna show you my face now because I want to trust you, and I want you to trust me. Okay?”

“O-Okay.” Rhys swallowed hard, wincing at the aching pain it caused. He didn’t even want to know what his neck looked like right now. He hesitated in turning around, hoping that if he refused to look it might all go away. There was no such luck as he was met with an unfamiliar masked faced.

Jack placed his hands on his hips as the younger man turned around. Oh wow. This kid was oddly cute, especially all beaten up. A grin on his lips, Jack’s met Rhys’s gaze with his own. “What d’you think? I’m a nice piece of work, ain’t I?”

Rhys wasn’t sure if the question was rhetorical or not. He remained silent, hoping that Jack wasn’t actually expecting a response, resisting the instinctual urge to try and scan the man—a surefire way of getting his ECHO eye popped out of his skull, Rhys was sure.

Jack frowned at the lack of an answer. That wouldn’t do at all. His gaze narrowing to a glare, he sneered at Rhys. “I asked you a question kiddo, I expect an answer.” He raised a hand to stifle Rhys’s response. “I don’t care to hear it anymore. You’ll have another chance later. Now go on. Walk. Back down the street towards the bus station. I live back that way.”

The scolding made Rhys flinch, biting down on his lip. He brushed past Jack, proceeding slowly down the sidewalk as he returned to the station. Following closely behind, Jack watched the younger man’s movements closely. This one would have to be broken—not an easy job, but it would have to be done. It was just a matter of the right amount of discipline.

Once they reached the bus station Jack hooked arms with Rhys, pulling him down another street. After several more turns and a great deal of walking they approached a large wrought iron gate with a locked security fence. Keying in the unlock sequence, Jack led Rhys inside and, after closing the gate behind them, pulled the younger man up the long walkway to an expensive yet modest looking house.

“Welcome home, Rhys.”

The sound of the heavy gate falling shut made Rhys flinch, eyes going wide. Oh god he was trapped. He couldn’t climb that even if he was left alone long enough. He whimpered softly at Jack’s words, eyeing the house with no small amount of fear.

“I d—don’t want to do this. Please, I-I won’t say anything, just—oh god, please—”

“Oh?” Jack turned and looked at Rhys, his tone questioning and dangerously playful. “You expect me to believe you? I’ve told you my name, you know what I look like, and now I’ve brought you to my home.” His tone dropped to something wounded. “I can’t believe that you would do this to me. Even after I’ve shared so much with you. This is an opportunity for you, Rhys. You want to just throw it all away?”

He reached out and took hold of Rhys’s right arm, watching as he flinched. Rhys’s skin prickled uncomfortably at having Jack’s hand on his cybernetics.

“I’m trusting you enough to bring you into my home and live with me, Rhys. Why can’t you appreciate that?”

Tears welled up in Rhys’s eyes again as he shook his head slowly, murmuring the ‘please’ over and over again like some kind of prayer. The younger man wasn’t reacting exactly how Jack wanted, but he wasn’t trying to get away anymore, either. That was something to work with, at least. A frown on his lips, Jack gently grabbed the younger man’s other arm, pulling Rhys around to face him.

“Hey....Hey Rhys, look at me. Everything’s gonna be okay. I promise that you’re gonna like it here. You’ll live like a good, obedient prince.”

Rhys’s shivering was plainly evident when Jack grabbed him, his lower lip trembling as he locked eyes with the other man. This was insane. He was trapped, he was going to die, this lunatic was going to skin him alive or eat him or something, Rhys didn’t know. A choked sob passed his lips as a few wayward tears rolled down his cheeks, streaking the flushed skin.

“Aw, hey now sweetie. Don’t cry,” Jack cooed, gently moving his hand away from Rhys’s arm to wipe away the tears. “It’ll be okay. You’re safe now. C’mere.” Jack pulled the younger man into his arms, attempting to calm his fears.

Safe? This was anything but safe, and all Rhys could do was cry as his captor hugged him and, to Rhys’s horror, he did calm some. He hiccuped softly as something inside him numbed out the fear, leaving him feeling cold and empty. He glanced at the house again, studying it carefully. Maybe he could take pictures, send them to Vaughn. His roommate would know something was wrong when Rhys didn’t arrive home on time. Jack’s earlier threat replayed in Rhys’s mind, though, and he cringed, shutting his eyes.

Pulling out of the hug, Jack cupped Rhys’s face in his hands, a pleased smirk on his lips. “Come on darling, let’s get you inside. We need to find you a comfy place to sleep.”


	2. Be My Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [I'm Only Joking by Kongos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qudAOzg0P0&index=13)

Jack took Rhys by the hand and led him into the expansive home, a high ceiling entryway greeting them. It was plainly evident that this man had money and lots of it. The source of that money became clear the moment Rhys’s damp eyes landed on a banner hanging on one of the walls, the old Hyperion company logo printed on the fabric. Rhys’s blood ran cold, realization hitting him like a slap in the face. He _worked_ with this madman. He whined softly, knuckles going white as he gripped his bag and swallowed thickly around the lump that had formed in his throat.

Jack closed and locked the door, circling back around to take his place in front of Rhys and taking note of how the color had drained from the younger man’s face. He cocked an eyebrow, a dangerous grin spreading across his lips.

“What’s the matter Rhys? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

Rhys shook his head, sucking in a sharp breath as he looked to Jack then over his own shoulder at the locked door.

“I-I’m f-fine,” he stuttered, taking a half step back.

Oh no, that wouldn’t do at all. Rhys would have to learn that that wasn’t the way to behave. He would have to listen and obey. Crossing his arms, Jack’s expression shifted to a scowl.

“That was a lie kiddo. I don’t appreciate you lying to me. Now I’m gonna give you another chance to tell me the _real_ answer. What’s the matter Rhys?”

Rhys panicked, stumbling back to put some distance between Jack and himself. He flexed and relaxed his hands rhythmically, trying to keep himself as calm as possible.

“Y-you-...you’re H-Hyperion…”

Jack shifted back into a manic grin upon hearing the younger man’s answer.

“That’s right. I _am_ Hyperion. It’s my company, kiddo.” Closing the distance between him and his forced house guest, Jack leaned uncomfortably close, hissing in Rhys’s ear. “A serial killer has to have a day job after all.”

Rhys froze, eyes going wide as a choked whimper escaped him and his bag slipped through his fingers, falling to the floor.

“I told you that you would be living in luxury kiddo,” Jack cooed as he pulled back slightly, allowing Rhys a bit of space. “That is, if you behave. If you don’t then I have to make your life a living hell. Do you _want_ that, Rhys?”

The younger man stuttered, searching for an answer before he shook his head slowly. “N-no.” He buried his face in his hands, slowly carding his fingers back through his hair as he took an unsteady breath.

“Good!” Jack chimed as he backed further away, his tone light and cheery. Rhys was slowly learning how it was going to be. “Now then, let’s look at that nasty wound you have, hm? Let’s get your neck feeling better.” The older man ushered Rhys towards the stairs and Rhys let himself be pushed and led to one of the upper levels, his thoughts racing. He should be taking pictures, or videos. Fuck he should be trying to call the cops again. He should have been doing _something_ other than being pulled around like a doll. Rhys whined low in his throat, clenching his fists firmly. Maybe if he punched Jack hard enough...God, no, he still had the fence to deal with.

Arriving at the top of the stairs, Jack gently pushed Rhys along the hallway, passing a few closed doors. Once at the end of the hallway Jack opened the door to a spacious bathroom.

“Take a seat. I’ll go find some medical supplies.” He turned to leave the room, pausing to face Rhys. “Don’t do anything bad, Rhys. I’m _trusting_ you.”

Rhys sat on the edge of the large tub, the uncomfortable numbness spreading through him once again. He frowned as he looked around the bathroom, taking the opportunity to scan whatever he could in his captor’s absence. Nothing particularly useful unless he considered chucking a bar of soap at Jack. He considered checking the shower for a razor, though he knew it wouldn’t be an adequate weapon, especially if Jack really was carrying a gun. Rhys would be dead before he could blink. Jack would have to leave him alone at some point, though. Rhys could wait. He would have to wait.

A soft hum sounded from Jack as he rummaged through the closet beside the bathroom. Searching through it, his mind raced as he considered what he would do with his new house guest. He’d have to be careful at first of course. This kid could kill him if given the chance. Jack would have to break him down and then rebuild him into his very own plaything. The question at this point was ‘how’.

Jack picked up a roll of bandages, some antibacterial salve, and two bottles of pills. He made his way back into the bathroom, his tone calm and cheerful. 

“Alright. Lemme see that neck kiddo. I’ll get ya feeling all better.”

Rhys grimaced, his displeasure clear as Jack approached. He lifted his hands, still wracked with small tremors, and undid the top two buttons of his shirt, pulling the collar down and away from his neck.

Ignoring the younger man’s body language, Jack approached. He knelt on the floor, placing the supplies beside him as he inspected his handiwork.

“Wow… I really did a number on you kiddo. This is A-plus work from me.”

Pleased with himself, Jack grabbed the salve and unscrewed the lid, looking up at Rhys.

“Now this is gonna hurt, but I can make that go away if you’d like.”

“I’ll be fine,” he rasped, glaring down at Jack. He’d nearly been strangled, he could deal with the sting of some antibacterials. Jack shrugged, taking a bit of the salve on his fingers and rubbing it on the wound.

“Have it your way kiddo.”

Rhys hissed in discomfort, squeezing his eyes shut at the burn. He bit back a whine, holding as still as he could manage while Jack tended to his neck. The older man began to hum as he worked, rubbing the salve into the full abrasion caused by the garrote. It was an angry, painful looking mark, but there was very little breaking of the skin--the sign of a job well done.

Once Rhys’s neck was covered, Jack placed the container on the ground and stood to rinse his hand before returning to his place in front of Rhys. He picked up the bandages and carefully began wrapping the soft cloth around the younger man’s neck.

“You’re doing so well kiddo. Most people are usually crying from the pain by now.”

Rhys’s eyes _were_ watering, but Rhys figured he’d done enough crying for the night. He shifted under Jack’s attention, resisting the urge to snap at the man’s hands with his teeth.

“You usually leave people alive this long?” he sneered.

“Well, no. You are an exception. But I have seen this treatment done before,” Jack quipped back. “You sure you’re alright kiddo? You look kinda in pain.”

Rhys wondered _where_ Jack could have possibly seen this, but he thought better of asking. He glanced at Jack at the man’s odd show of concern, glaring coldly.

“No shit I’m in pain,” he hissed, fists clenching at his sides.

“Hey.” Jack looked up to meet Rhys’s glare with one of his own. “I’m treating your wound and asking if you’re in pain because I _care_ about you and want you to get better.” He reached down and picked up the pill bottles, offering them up to Rhys. “You take one of each of these and it’ll stop hurting, I promise.”

“I don’t want them.” Rhys glanced at the bottles, trying to catch a glimpse of the labels. Instinctively his ECHO eye hummed to life to scan the small containers.

Jack instantly pulled them from view, letting out a disapproving ‘tsk’ as Rhys groaned in frustration, switching off the functions. Now he _really_ didn’t want whatever they were.

“Hey. None of that nonsense. That’s how you almost lost that eye of yours y’know. But...there is something I need to do with those fancy cybernetics.” Standing back up, Jack firms his tone. “Stay right there. You move from that spot and you will truly regret it.” The pill bottles in hand, Jack walked out of the bathroom again and slammed the door shut behind him.

Jack’s command made him bristle, every fiber in him wanting to petulantly disobey. Something in Jack’s tone scared Rhys, though, gluing him obediently to the spot. He whined as soon as Jack was gone, lifting his hands to rub circles at his temples and silently curse his luck.

Striding quickly down the stairs and into his private office, Jack rummaged through a desk drawer for a uniquely shaped flash drive. He hooked it into his computer, accessing a file and loading it onto the drive. After ten minutes he was finished with his task and making his way back up to the bathroom. Opening the door, he walked over to the younger man with the drive in hand.

“Alright. Here’s the deal kiddo. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” He held the drive up so that Rhys could see it. “Now I’m gonna plug this into the port on the side of your head. This little beauty has a nice program on it to enhance your cybernetics. Sound good?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize for the delay and thank everyone for being so patient with me (Rhys). It's entirely my fault that this was not uploaded much sooner. Life happened and then just plain laziness kicked in xP
> 
> I hope this was worth the wait, and I promise I won't take as long to edit chapters three and four!
> 
> Constructive criticism is more than welcome!


	3. An Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [(-) Ions by Tool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDMBX8YAjXo)

Rhys hadn’t moved much beyond switching to the floor so he could lean back against the side of the tub, easing the strain on his back. He jumped when Jack returned, drive in hand. Rhys eyed it warily, shaking his head and scooting away from the man.

“No no no. ‘Enhance’ my ass, you’re not fucking with my programming.”

“Hm…” Jack frowned at the younger man’s response, slipping the flash drive into his back pocket. “Thought you might say something like that. No matter--”

With a swift movement Jack was down on top of Rhys, pinning the younger man under his weight. Rhys yelped at the sudden impact, flailing and scrambling away across the bathroom floor. He hissed angrily, lashing out with his metal arm. The cybernetic caught Jack under the chin and sent his head whipping to the side, stunning him for a few moments. When he reoriented himself he continued after Rhys, yanking the garrote from his jacket pocket.

Rhys scrambled for the tub, grabbing at the edge to pull himself up. His hands slipped free when Jack lunged at him again, sending Rhys crashing onto his stomach with a groan. He lashed out, trying to kick at the man behind him. With a bit of work, though, Jack had Rhys’s arms behind his back, tying his wrists together with the wire. Rhys yelled as loud as he could manage, though the noise was much softer than he would have liked. Jack’s fist made contact with his ribs and his side several times, pulling a choked whine from him and knocking the wind straight from his lungs.

“I didn’t want to do this to you Rhys, but you made me. I told you that there was an easy way, but you didn’t want that. Ohhh no, you wanted the hard way.”

Pulling the flash drive from his pocket, Jack tangled his fingers in Rhys’s hair and pulled the younger man’s head off the tiled floor. Leaning forward, he growled in his ear “You brought this upon yourself.”

“No no no--” Rhys whimpered and tried to shake his head, dismayed at Jack’s iron grip on his locks. The sudden proximity made him shiver and a scream left his lips as the drive was jammed into the port on the side of his head. Rhys jerked his head away, trying futilely to shake the thing free.

Jack held Rhys’s head as still as he could, watching with keen eyes as the program contained on the drive did its work. It was admittedly a bit cruel of him to do, but placing an access blocking virus on the younger man’s cybernetics was necessary. Jack couldn’t have him doing unsavory things with that fancy tech. Waiting patiently for the virus to do its work, Jack gave a sickening order to Rhys.

“Go on kiddo. Try to call the police. Don’t worry. I won’t stop ya this time.”

Rhys whimpered loudly as a litany of errors met his gaze when he tried to pull up the call interface. It caused a deep set aching behind his eyes as he shut down the process, squeezing his eyes shut as he choked on a harsh sob, jerking at his wrists.

“No, please, please you can’t--you can’t DO this-!”

“You brought this on yourself Rhys,” Jack responded harshly, tired of telling him over and over again. “You had to disobey me. You had to test your determination against mine. I get it. I get that you don’t like feeling so weak and powerless in this situation. But you have to learn…” As he spoke he untied the wire from around the younger man’s wrists, sighing as he spotted the irritated skin.

Rhys jerked his wrists free as soon as the wire left his skin, pulling the drive free from his port and flinging it across the bathroom floor. He shifted under Jack’s weight, twisting and throwing his arm back to deliver a rough shove to Jack’s chest.

“Get off me!”

Jack narrowed his gaze to a glare as Rhys shoved him. “Acting like this isn’t going to get that wound treated. Now stop acting like a goddamn idiot and let me see your wrist. I want to  _ help _ you.”

“Let me leave then-!” Rhys cried, slumping back to the floor in a trembling heap. His shoulders shook violently as his breathing hitched, fists clenched against the tile floor.

“Oh my  _ god _ , this nonsense again?” Jack raised his voice so that it reverberated off the cold tile of the bathroom. “How many times do I gotta say it? You’re not leaving. What? Do you think I’m stupid? Is that it? You think I’ll just let you walk out of here so that you can go turn me in?”

“I won’t I swear, god please, I have a life, I have friends-!” Rhys whimpered, pressing his forehead to the floor as Jack shouted, flinching at each syllable. He shifted again, more slowly, trying to pull himself away from the furious man above him.

“You did have all that. Now you don’t,” Jack bit back at Rhys. “I mean, I may let you see them but… If you keep misbehaving I might just have to take some of those things away from you. Permanently. Now can you please let me treat the wound on your wrist? I’m starting to get tired of fighting with you like this.”

Rhys wanted to scream, he wanted to cry. He felt on the verge of tears once again. He crawled far enough away that he could turn himself over, sitting up to face Jack with a look of utter despair. He...he didn’t know how he was going to make it out of this. He held out his wrist slowly, knuckles white from the force with which his hand was clenched.

Jack raised a brow when Rhys finally looked at him, watching Rhys lift his wrist. “Ah, there we are.” He gently took Rhys’s hand in his and frowned. “I can’t treat this while you’re all tense. You need to let go and just trust me. Mmkay?”

Rhys slowly let his hand go lax in Jack’s grip, only to jump and tense fully when his pocket began buzzing, his cell phone ringing loudly in the large bathroom. He glanced at his pocket then back up at Jack, swearing under his breath. Jack’s muscles tensed in slight surprise, glancing down at the younger man’s pocket. Placing the salve down on the floor, he opened his hand palm up.

“Give it to me.”

Rhys whined, his hand trembling once again in Jack’s grip.

“Th-that’s my friend. I s-should’ve been home,” he stammered, hoping that explaining it would somehow allow him to keep the device. He slipped his hand into his pocket, looking at the screen as he pulled it out. Vaughn’s number appeared across the screen and Rhys felt his eyes water, taking a shaky breath.

Jack’s gaze moved coldly to the phone in Rhys’s hand. Looking back to the younger man, he spoke firmly.

“Answer that phone and you sign your friend’s death certificate. Now give the phone to me and I promise that I won’t hurt your friend. You do want them to stay safe, don’t you?”

Rhys panicked, gripping the phone tightly as he looked up at Jack. Rhys’s ID was in his bag downstairs. Hell, he’d been fucking abducted by the head of the company he worked for, it wouldn’t be hard for Jack to get ahold of his and Vaughn’s address.

He slowly held out the phone, letting it fall into Jack’s waiting hand as Rhys sniffled and nodded. Vaughn had to stay safe. Rhys wouldn’t risk putting his best friend in danger, no matter how terrified he was right now. He didn’t have any cards to play and Jack knew it.

Jack quickly declined the call and shut off the phone, slipping it into his back pocket.

“Thank you kiddo. Now then, let’s fix up that nasty wound you made me do to you.”

He picked the salve back up and began spreading it onto the angry red mark looped partway around Rhys’s wrist.

“See how easy this can be if you just cooperate? It’s just some simple cooperation that can get us through stuff like this y’know. It’s just that easy, but it’s a team exercise. Do you understand what I’m saying to you Rhys?”

Rhys kept his eyes locked on his own wrist and the marred skin, unable to look at Jack. He felt so alone, so completely trapped now. His ECHO systems were down, his phone was gone, he had at least two locks he couldn’t pick separating him from the outside world. Jack’s words almost didn’t register and he blinked quickly, nodding silently in answer to Jack’s question.

“What do you want from me?” he asked quietly, watching intently as Jack bandaged his wrist.

There was a good question: what  _ did _ he want from the younger man? Was he lonely? It did get very lonely at the top… Was he just bored? No. He would’ve killed the younger man by now if that were the case. Maybe he really was lonely. Huh. Imagine that.

Putting the finishing touches on the bandage, Jack shrugged.

“Not sure yet. As I said before, you’re different from the others. I mean, I wanna keep you around for a reason. I just, y’know, haven’t figured that reason out yet.”

Rhys swallowed, pulling his wrist back quickly as soon as Jack had finished his work. He rubbed gingerly at it, chancing a quick glance up at Jack’s face before settling his eyes on the man’s chest. Who knew, the man running Hyperion was an absolute lunatic.

“So, what? I’m just...just supposed to sit around here?”

The man’s mismatched gaze moved to meet with the younger man’s, a pensive look remaining on his face for a few moments before he spoke again.

“Well, I’m open to suggestions if you can come up with something you wanna do while you’re here. I mean, that could be anything with the amount of money I have.”

Rhys carded his fingers through his hair where it had fallen out of place in his struggles, trying uselessly to push it back into place.

“People are going to come looking for me,” he murmured, glaring weakly at Jack as he sat on the hard floor. Rhys shifted, pulling his legs back and sitting with his knees pressed against his chest, wrapping his arms around the long limbs protectively.

“Hm. Still gonna have an attitude with me, are ya?” Jack scoffed at Rhys’s retort. “As if I haven’t thought of that already. I used to be a programmer like you back before I was CEO and I was  _ good _ at my job. I could write any code you needed. Even developed a few nice programs for the higher ups that could find every instance of something, let’s say a transaction or an unsavory photo or video, and completely erase it from existence. I would just load my program into a device, usually something with the  _ ECHOnet _ loaded onto it and POOF. It would be gone from all records.”

Rhys’s eyes went wide, turning to look uncertainly as the flash drive he’d tossed across the room. Oh god what had Jack done to him? Rhys bit back a whimper, burying his face against his knees as his shoulders shook, the young man threatening to break into tears yet again.

Finally at a loss for words, Rhys fell silent. He was tired, so tired and hurt. He just wanted to sleep and make it all go away. He wanted to wake up in his own bed and go to work. Hell, he’d even be happy to see Vasquez as this point.

Seeing Rhys’s reaction, Jack’s expression remained neutral. He shifted and sat next to the younger man, taking Rhys’s exhaustion as another opportunity to make contact and rub his back gently. He was always told that physical contact was the best way to express intentions. Actions speak louder than words and all that. Rhys flinched at the contact but made no moves to push Jack away. He was fairly certain he’d just get hurt again for his efforts.

“Don’t cry darling,” Jack cooed. “This is an opportunity to start something even better for you. Tell me, have you ever wanted someone--y’know, that prick that cut you off or maybe a superior at work--to pay for their actions? I mean, really pay for it. But unfortunately they get away with it and even get better things than you, right?” He leaned in to be sure Rhys could hear him, his voice thick with venomous temptation. Rhys shivered at the proximity, lifting his head and blinking slowly as the other man spoke.

“What if I told you that I could give you the chance to make sure all of those assholes got what they deserve?”

He felt his blood run cold as goosebumps danced across his skin and he locked eyes with Jack.

“Wh--I-I’m not going to kill people,” he sputtered. He wasn’t like that, wasn’t like Jack. Sure, Rhys had vile thoughts about some of his superiors, but who hadn’t? He wasn’t going to  _ act _ on those thoughts.

“Why not?” Jack raised a brow. It seemed ridiculous to him for the younger man to turn down his offer. “It’s not as if anyone could possibly blame you for it now. I mean, you’re a ghost as far as any records are concerned. And if the whole idea of killing gets to you, just think of it this way: you’re getting rid of these people so that others don’t have to suffer with their horrible actions. You’d be like a guardian to the good. A guardian angel if you wanna put it that way.”

Rhys didn’t want to hear this, not now not ever. He whined and pressed his hands over his ears, burying his face against his knees again. What was Jack trying to do to him?

“P-please don’t, I-I can’t--I’m tired. I’m hurt. Leave me alone…”

Jack shrugged and pulled back to give Rhys some space. “Fine. I’ll let you think about it.” He moved to his feet, offering a hand to the younger man. “Now c’mon, let’s get you to bed. You’ve had a long day and I don’t want you sleeping in here on the cold tile floor.”

Rhys blinked, lifting his head to stare at Jack’s hand. He considered slapping it away but stopped himself, reaching out hesitantly to place his own hand in Jack’s, moving unsteadily to his feet. He was so tired of fighting. He needed time to rest and think of how to get out of this.

Jack placed his hands on Rhys’s shoulders, gently leading him down the stairs one level and towards the back of the house. A good ways down the hall Jack stopped, taking his hands from Rhys’s shoulders and opening one of the few unlocked doors to reveal a rather expansive bedroom. It looked as if it were made up for someone to stay there, but the layer of dust on everything was evidence that the person the room was intended for had never stayed there.

“It’s a bit dusty, but here ya go kiddo. Make yourself at home.”

Rhys let his eyes scan the room, wincing when his instinctive move to ECHO scan was rerouted and failed. He whined softly in the back of his throat and nodded, stepping into the room slowly as he studied the décor. He was fairly certain Jack was going to lock him in, trapping him in the room for the night. He stepped away from the door, waiting for the inevitable. Rhys turned to face Jack, a weary look on his face as he noticed the other man’s expression.

Looking upon the room brought an ache into Jack’s mind that he hadn’t felt in a while. It was a pain he’d buried away long ago, though it showed now on his face as he stayed behind Rhys in the doorway. He zoned out for several moments, his mind caught up in old memories. Noticing the younger man’s gaze upon him, Jack turned his attention back to Rhys, a weak smile struggling to remain on his lips.

“I, uh...Goodnight. I’ll be back to check on you in the morning.” With that he turned and rushed out of the room, locking it behind him.

Rhys swore when he heard the lock slide into place, dropping his arms weakly at his sides. He paced the room quickly, walking to the window and throwing back the curtain. A well-aimed punch to the glass left his right shoulder throbbing from the impact and nothing more than a slight scratch on the surface of the window. So much for that escape plan, then.

Rhys groaned and whined, resigning himself to at least stay the night. He walked over to the bed, patting it down and coughing at the clouds of dust that issued forth. Gross. He’d need to ask ab-no. No he wasn’t asking shit. He wasn’t planning on sticking around. Grumbling, Rhys slipped off his shoes and dropped down on top of the comforter, sighing heavily and staring at the ceiling until he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter down! Woo! Finished under threat of sad headcanons from my friend Sparky who is Actually Satan™
> 
> Rhys written by digirhys  
> Jack written by handsomejohn
> 
> You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	4. Failed Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Mario Paint Composer: Your Best Nightmare/Finale by RYANUKO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zaxn_KsEQ)

After a night of restless sleep, Jack rose and wandered down to the kitchen to make breakfast. He assumed that his guest would be hungry as he obviously hadn’t had the means to eat dinner. Once everything was cooked, he walked back up the stairs and knocked on the door, calling out to Rhys.

“Good morning Rhys! Are you decent in there?”

The young man had barely slept, woken in the middle of the night several times by lucid nightmares. He sat on the edge of the edge of the bed, trying to fix the mess his hair had become in all his tossing and turning. He started at the sound of Jack’s voice, jumping up from the bed and slipping his shoes on, pacing over to the door. He rolled his eyes.

“I’m fine,” he rasped, his voice weak and throat positively raw and wrecked. Jack really had done a number on him.

“Oh good!” Jack chimed in response. “I made some breakfast for the both of us. I wasn’t sure if you wanted coffee or tea, so I made both.” Jack unlocked the door, expecting to find Rhys still sitting on the bed. “You hungry kiddo?”

God, Rhys hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before. It almost sounded good. He shook his head, taking a step back as Jack opened the door.

“No,” he snapped, swinging his metal fist as hard as he could at Jack’s temple.

The punch came as a painful surprise to the older man. The impact had him blacking out and he crumpled to the floor. Rhys panicked for a moment before he was reminded of his very limited window of time. Jack probably wouldn’t be out for long. He checked the man over for keys, finding none. He practically sprinted down the stairs, only to come face to face with the biometric lock on the front door. No keyhole. He whined, turning and dragging his fingers through his hair as he paced back the way he had come, pausing and darting into the kitchen to grab one of the larger knives.

Several minutes passed before Jack came to, a throbbing pain in the left side of his head as he recalled what had happened. The kid, the person he’d brought into his home, offered a new and better life to, had attacked him. That wouldn’t do, oh no. Jack was teetering between the decision to kill the younger man or just scare him back into submission as he rose to his feet. Feeling a bit of blood drip down the side of his face, a manic grin spread across Jack’s lips. This just got a bit more fun.

“Oh Rhysie!” Jack called out as he began to pace down the hall. “Where is my disobedient little house guest?” Reaching the end of the hall, just before the staircase, Jack paused before calling out to the younger man again. “I’ll tell ya what! If you come out and apologize, I won’t kill ya! How’s that sound?”

Rhys’s breath hitched as he heard Jack yelling, drawing closer. He’d found a knife but he still felt miserably ill-equipped. Oh god he was going to die, Jack was going to kill him and Vaughn would never know where he’d gone. He wasn’t going down without a fight though, oh no. If Jack expected him to roll over and make this easy he was mistaken.

“FUCK YOU!” he shouted, gripping the knife in both hands as he carefully paced towards the open kitchen doorway. “You’re insane! If you’re gonna kill me, come get me!”

Listening to Rhys’s response, Jack nodded along wit the words shouted back at him. Alright. So he was going to make this difficult. No big deal. “You got it kiddo!” At this the man fell silent as he walked down the stairs. It sounded like the younger man’s voice was coming from the kitchen. Standing on the staircase, Jack activated a button on his watch, a door on the other side of the house slamming shut in response.

Rhys jumped, spinning around with a curse on the tip of his tongue. His heart hammered in his chest, threatening to burst as he leaned back against the wall, staring across the kitchen. Jack had been on the stairs, how…? Rhys bit his lip, frowning as he tried to orient himself. He pushed away from the wall slowly, walking towards the opposite end of the kitchen and the doorway the noise had come through.

Jack made the rest of the journey down the staircase and across the hall, peering in the kitchen entryway. Seeing the knife in the other man’s hand, Jack smirked as he made his way silently across the room. Leaning in close, he wrapped his arms around Rhys’s torso, grabbing at the knife as he slammed his knee against the back of Rhys’s own, growling in his ear, “You lose, Rhysie.”

Rhys just about jumped out of his skin, a horrified scream tearing from his throat as he tried to spin around, swinging the knife at Jack’s midsection. He yelped and pulled away, stumbling and crashing to the ground, his knees screaming in protest at repeating the same abuse as the night before.

“Get OFF ME-!” he screamed, throwing his head back at Jack’s face. The back of his head made clean contact and the older man felt a white hot sting as his nose was struck, followed by the telltale warmth of blood running down his lips, but he did not relent. Letting go now meant potential death.

Jack grabbed at Rhys’s left hand and turned it outwards, straining the younger man’s wrist until he finally released the knife with a pained gasp. Jack tightened his grip on Rhys’s torso, using his strength to pull him away from the knife.

“No, NO-! LET GO!” Rhys screeched, kicking back at Jack’s legs as he tried to pull his arm free, jerking and thrashing in Jack’s grip.

Jack rolled over, bringing his knees up and using the momentum to throw the younger man partway across the kitchen floor. Rhys gasped, wincing and groaning at the pain that lanced up his side. His eyes flew open in a panic as Jack scrambled on top of him, his own hands flying up to grip at Jack’s wrists as the older man’s hands closed around his throat.

The CEO grinned venomously as crimson dripped from his nose and temple.

“Think you’re clever do ya? Think you can just hit me over the head and run away?” His tone sharpened to match the venom in his grin as he towered over the younger man. “You were wrong, Rhysie, and now you’re gonna pay for it.”

Rhys winced, digging his nails into Jack’s wrist as he tugged desperately to pull the man’s hands away. Oh god he was really going to die. He wheezed painfully, squeezing his eyes shut. It didn’t take long before his vision began to spot and swim, leaving him dizzy and weak, his hands gradually slipping free of Jack’s wrists.

Jack’s grin faltered as Rhys’s hands fell away. Huh. This was proving oddly unsatisfying. Something in him told him not to kill the younger man pinned beneath him. He didn’t want to waste all of the hard work he’d put forth already. Plus, this kid had made him  _ bleed _ . Not many people managed to do that, it was admirable. Maybe this was the lesson the younger man needed in order to finally obey. He should give him one last chance.

Letting up his grasp on Rhys’s throat, Jack’s fingers remained wrapped around the other man’s neck as he leaned in to loom over him.

“Have you learned your lesson yet kiddo? I still want to eat breakfast, y’know…”

Rhys sucked in a deep breath, eyes fluttering and his vision swimming with spots of light as he coughed violently, wheezing and gasping for air. He groaned as Jack leaned in, letting his head roll weakly to the side as he began to tremble. He blinked slowly, the reality of his situation hitting him like a ton of bricks, knocking the breath right back out of him. He choked on a weak sob, whimpering and nodding as he stared off to the side.

Jack breathed out a sigh of relief at seeing the younger man’s compliance.

“Good. Phew. I was worried I’d have to kill you.” Releasing his grasp from around Rhys’s throat, Jack stood up and moved away from the other man, picking up the knife. Carefully placing it back into the wooden knife holder on the counter, Jack took one of the wash towels from off the counter and began to clean the blood from his face.

Rhys laid on the floor for several moments, trembling in the silence that followed. It was a while before he trusted himself to sit up, his head buzzing painfully at the slightest movement. He groaned again, rubbing at his side where he’d landed hard on the tile, feeling the bruises forming underneath his shirt.

He glanced over at Jack and took in the damage he’d managed to do. He was too mortified to even be proud of putting up a fight. He gingerly felt at the bandages around his throat, taking in an unsteady breath and wincing at the pain it caused. He was honestly surprised his windpipe hadn’t been completely crushed. Combined with the damage from the night before it would take considerable time to heal, though, and the thought made Rhys whine.

Jack discarded the bloody rag and grabbed another clean one to wipe the blood from the side of his face. Holding it to the cut on his temple, he finally turned to look at Rhys when he heard the younger man whine.

“You got me pretty good there, kiddo. That robo hand of yours really packs a punch.”

Chuckling at his own dumb joke, Jack walked over and offered a hand to his guest.

“C’mon, get up. Let’s eat this breakfast before it gets any colder.”

Rhys flinched at the movement, shying away from Jack’s hand, afraid that the man would attack him again. He had honestly hoped if he stayed where he was Jack would just ignore him, but no such luck. Rhys honestly didn’t trust himself to be able to stand, though. His knees felt tender from their multiple encounters with the ground and his legs were weak. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to stand.

He waited several seconds, and when no blows came, hesitantly took Jack’s hand, standing up on shaky legs. Jack used his free hand to help steady Rhys. He really didn’t want the younger man to pass out on him.

“Careful now sweetheart. You don’t want to overexert yourself. Now can you make it over to the chair or should I help you?”

“I-I can--I’m o-okay,” he stammered weakly, shaking his head slowly. He was far from it, his entire body weak and lightheaded. He felt like crawling back into that dusty bed and hiding.

Rhys stumbled away from Jack, groping at the back of the closest chair and sitting himself down carefully, swaying slightly as he felt on the verge of blacking out. He didn’t want to be unconscious around this man, though, no way. He blinked slowly to try and clear away the haze, gripping at the edge of the table firmly to steady himself.

Jack watched Rhys’s movements until he made it to the table and sat down. There was that determination again. Great things could be built from that determination.

“Alright, you sit tight kiddo and I’ll get you some breakfast.”

He took the lids off some glass containers that were sitting on the counter, revealing mound of eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. Pulling two plates from the cabinet, Jack scooped piles of the delicious food onto each and walked over to the table. Setting one of the plates and some cutlery in front of Rhys, Jack took a seat at the opposite end of the table with his own and smiled at the younger man.

“Enjoy Rhys, you’ve earned it. Oh, wait!” Jack blinked, jumping up from his seat. “I almost forgot the drinks! What do you want to drink Rhysie?”

Rhys considered tipping the plate onto the floor akin to an angry house cat, but it seemed his sense of self-preservation had finally kicked in and he stared at the food blankly. The question made him start, blinking and looking up at Jack with tired eyes. The nickname made him cringe, his expression souring.

“Water.”

The look on Rhys’s face only made Jack smile even more. “You got it. One gourmet water coming right up.” After fetching a bottle of expensive spring water from the fridge and a glass from the cupboard, he returned to Rhys’s side and set the glass down in front of him. “Hope you don’t mind I went for the really nice stuff,” he cooed as he poured the water into the glass. Placing the bottle down on the table, he moved to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Rhys was thankful for the liquid, although swallowing proved to be more than just slightly uncomfortable. The damage done to his throat was taking its toll, but he did his best to ignore it. He was thirsty and he was hungry, and if he had any hope of surviving this mad house he’d need to eat.

Sitting back down at the table, Jack took a sip of his coffee and, with a satisfied sigh, looked across the table at Rhys.

“I hope you like the food. It’s some of my favorite breakfast foods. Well, I didn’t make pancakes; those are my real favorite. But I figured I would keep those for a special occasion, y’know?”

Rhys fought against the tremors in his hands as he picked up the fork, pointedly avoiding lifting his eyes to the man across the table. He gave Jack a curt nod in response, not trusting himself to speak without cursing the man out. Instead, he focused on the food piled on his plate, eating slowly as he struggled not to choke each time the pain in his throat flared up.

The silence was kind of annoying. It felt like he was being ignored and Jack didn’t like that much. But he figured the younger man would come around on his own. Jack would just have to be patient. Shrugging, he began eating his breakfast, glancing across the table every so often to see if the other man was eating and drinking.

Rhys didn’t manage to clear much of the food before the was forced to stop, the pain and general terror making him sick to his stomach. He set the fork down gently and waited, unsure if he was allowed to get up and just walk away after the incident they’d just been through.

Looking up from his meal, Jack raised a brow at the other man. Noting that not much of the food was missing from his plate, he let out a soft huff of disappointment.

“Well?”

Rhys frowned, hesitantly bringing a hand up to rub gently along his throat. “It hurts,” he muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on the table.

“Oh, darling,” Jack responded, a frown on his lips. “Why didn’t you says so? Let me get you something for that,” he stated as he rose from the table and headed for the open doorway. Stopping at Rhys’s side, he looked down at the younger man. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He then walked out of the room, heading up to the bathroom to retrieve the pill bottles.

Rhys grimaced at the note of concern in Jack’s voice. It all seemed so...genuine. It made a shiver run up Rhys’s spine, his eyes shutting tight as he tried to block out the sensation. He stayed put, not in any mood or condition to pull any other escape stunts that morning. Rhys sat and waited for Jack to return, recalling the pills the man had tried to feed him the night before. He still didn’t know what they both were, but painkillers seemed unlikely.

Showing back up in the kitchen, Jack strode over to Rhys’s side.

“Here I am Rhys. I’m gonna take all of your pain away for the moment.” He held out his hand to produce two pills, one white and one a light blue capsule. “You take these, mmkay? They’ll get you feeling all better in no time.”

Rhys took the pills in hand, staring at them distrustfully before glancing up at Jack. “What are they?” he asked, reaching for his glass of water.

Without missing a beat, Jack pointed to the white pill. “Well, that’s a slightly higher dose of pain reliever and that--” he pointed to the blue capsule-- “a little something special I take when I get overly stressed. It’ll help you. Trust me on this kiddo.”

Rhys glanced back at the pills before staring at Jack, squirming in his seat. “You’re drugging me,” he stated plainly, disbelief clear on his features.

Jack placed a hand on his hip, clearly unamused. “If you want to call it that, fine. I am indeed giving you drugs. But I prefer to say that I’m  _ helping _ you get through this pain.”

Rhys scrunched up his nose, pointedly moving to set the blue capsule aside. He didn’t need to be looped up around this lunatic, no matter how much it might help with the pain.

“Seriously?” Jack raised a brow at the younger man. “Look, how about this? If you take on, I’ll take one.” He knew that his tolerance was up for this kind of drug, and it took a couple to get him to levels of losing control. He could use the pain relief though, as his nose ached and his temple felt like it was bruising.

Rhys swallowed the painkiller with a drink of water, arching an eyebrow at Jack. That...wasn’t a terrible compromise, considering Jack could have forced the pill down Rhys’s throat if he really wanted.

“Fine,” he murmured, picking the capsule back up off the table.

“Good!” Jack’s demeanor immediately became more cheerful. Pulling the small bottle of pills from his shirt pocket, he took the lid off and dispensed one of the capsules into his hand. Walking back over to his coffee after placing the bottle back in his pocket, he looked to Rhys.

“Ready for some enjoyment kiddo?”

“No,” Rhys groaned softly, popping the pill into his mouth and downing it with another drink of water without waiting for Jack to take his.

Jack considered closing his hand around the pill and not taking it, just for the pure shock value. To see the look on the other’s face would be priceless. But no, he had trust to build. Lending Rhys a friendly smile, he took his own capsule and downed it with a swig of coffee. As he swallowed the combination of lukewarm coffee and drug filled capsule, he flopped down in his seat with a soft thud.

“Let me know when it starts to hit ya Rhys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, it's been a while!! :0 Thanks so much to everyone for your feedback and especially your patience! It really means a lot ^^
> 
> As always, constructive criticism is welcome! Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	5. Substance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Beautiful Disaster by 311](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDQlSUjqsuo)
> 
> We've got a double update coming for you today! Please enjoy chapters five and six!

Rhys honestly had expected Jack to back down. To see the man take the pill was a surprise. Rhys wasn’t sure what to expect. He’d just ingested some strange drug he knew nothing about.

“How long is it supposed to take?”

“Oh, not long. It’s a special quick release capsule.” Jack let his eyes close as he leaned back in his chair. “Just sit back and let it take effect. I think you’re really gonna enjoy this.”

Rhys groaned softly, shifting uncomfortably in his own chair as he eyed Jack. He wasn’t sure how long it took -- ten, maybe fifteen minutes -- before it hit him. It was subtle at first, his mind wandering to strange topics, then the lightheadedness that left him breathless, slumped back in his chair.

“Jack,” he whined, pressing a hand to his head as he blinked slowly, trying to rid himself of the cottony fluff that was draping over his mind.

Jack had always enjoyed the state that it put him into. It had been a while since his last dosage, but he remembered waking up a lot less stressed the next morning. Hearing the whine from across the table, Jack smiled.

“Hmmm?” Jack hummed out as he peeked an eye open to look over at the younger man. Only a slight haze to his thoughts, he sat up in his chair. “Do you need something darling?”

“Feels weird,” Rhys murmured, rubbing his forehead as his thoughts clouded over. Jack had been right, though, the pain wasn’t anywhere on Rhys’s mind. He felt...clingy, which worried him distantly. He didn’t want to be left alone, even if his only company was Jack.

“Yeah… Yeah you’re gonna feel that way. But at least the pain’s gone, right?” His tone remained relaxed and happy. He loved putting himself into this state of mind.

Rhys nodded slowly, biting his lip as he tried and failed to focus his thoughts. He knew he should be worried, but he suddenly didn’t have it in him to feel much anything but calm.

Lazily, the older man rose to his feet after a few moments, a warm, low chuckle sounding from his chest. “Good. Good…” Taking a few slightly unbalanced steps towards Rhys, Jack leaned heavily on the table. “See kiddo? I told you that I’d get you feeling all better. Y’ just gotta trust me.

Rhys nodded again, letting his eyes fall shut. He felt dizzy and tired, but he’d be damned if he was going to pass out at the table. But then, he’d have to face the stairs to get back to the bedroom.

“Gooood. Try not to pass out just yet.” Jack drew out his words a bit more than intended. Man, this was a good batch of the stuff. Bringing his hand up to the younger man’s face, he hummed as his thumb brushed gently at Rhys’s cheek. “I know you’re tired, but you just gotta stay with me. Mkay darling?”

Rhys’s eyes fluttered open, blinking up at Jack sleepily. He didn’t see why he needed to stay conscious, it wasn’t as if he had anything to do. He nodded slowly, murmuring a soft “okay” as he let his head lean into Jack’s hand.

“There you go Rhysie. Just keep listening to my voice and do as your instincts tell you.”

What the hell was this stuff? Rhys whined, shifting away from Jack’s hand and shaking his head, trying to clear the cobwebs that had settled over him. He shouldn’t have taken...whatever that was. What was he doing?

“Think I need t’ lie down,” he murmured, shaking his head again and rubbing at his eyes.

Jack continued to impose over the younger man as he pulled away from his hand. Wait, what was  _ he _ doing? Taking a step back from the younger man, Jack caught his balance on the table. How long had it been since he had last taken one of these? Taking a few more steps back from Rhys, he murmured as he brought his hand up to rub at his uninjured temple. “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Do whatever you want…”

Rhys took a shaky breath, steadying himself with the table as he slowly moved to his feet, swaying slightly with the effort. There was no way he’d make it up the stairs.

“Living room..?” he asked softly, unable to get his vision into focus. God was he going to pass out? He didn’t relish the idea of waking up on the kitchen floor. If he could just make it to some other chair or sofa, he’d let himself black out there.

Jack blinked at the younger man’s words. Was that a request? Nodding, he stepped forward. “‘Kay. I’m gonna help you over there now. Just hold onto me and I’ll get you to a nice comfy couch…”

Wrapping his arm around Rhys, Jack clumsily helped the younger man walk out of the kitchen and through the door on the opposite side of the room. Luckily for them the living room was the next room over.

Rhys knew he should shy away from the touch, that he should have refused to let the other man touch him. It just felt...nice. It was a grounding sensation while his mind tried drifting away from him. He clung to Jack’s shirt with one hand, carefully stepping through the doorway with him.

Once in the living room, Jack helped the younger man over to a big, very comfortable looking couch--one Jack had spent many nights sleeping on.

“Here you are Rhysie. Y’ can let go of me now if you want. I won’t drop you.”

Rhys whined softly, though he wasn’t sure why. He reluctantly let his fingers slowly slip free of Jack’s shirt, his arm falling back to his side.

Holding the younger man up with his arm, Jack let Rhys lean on him. With his current mental state and the full weight of the tall young man, cybernetic arm and all, leaning down on him, Jack couldn’t keep his footing and tripped over onto the couch. With Rhys crashing down on top of him, Jack let out a sharp grunt of discomfort.

Rhys yelped loudly, pulled down with Jack’s weight as he landed on the man with a huff of breath. He winced at the awkward way he’d landed, sprawled out across Jack’s legs with his face pressed against the man’s chest. He groaned softly, shifting and placing his hands on either side of Jack, struggling to push himself up.

“You alright there Rhysie?” Jack asked as he looked down at the younger man on top of him. Seeing what Rhys was trying to do, he smiled. “Careful now. Don’t rush getting up or you’ll fall back down.”

Rhys shook his head, straining to push himself up. His cybernetic held out a little longer than his left arm, but he did indeed slip, yelping again as he fell back onto Jack, whining and burying his face in the man’s jacket.

“Can’t get up,” he murmured, groaning loudly.

Jack let out a soft “oof” before chuckling at the younger man’s unsteady and clumsy movements.

“Yeah… Yeah, that’ll happen. Your motor skills aren’t exactly the best while like this.” He laughed a bit more and looked up at the ceiling. “Guess I shoulda thought about that before taking some.”

Rhys tried to shake his head, succeeding in little more than nuzzling against Jack’s chest in distress. He closed his eyes, huffing out an irritated breath as he felt himself flush, embarrassed by the situation at hand.

“Just...wanted t’ lie down,” he whined, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Well--” Jack started laughing, the rumbling in his chest jostling the younger man-- “you are laying down kiddo.” Bringing a slightly clumsy hand up to run through Rhys’s hair, the older man breathed out a sigh. “Sorry. I really didn’t plan for this… My bad.”

Rhys shivered, letting out a soft whine as Jack’s fingers carded through his hair, sending a too pleasant shiver up his spine. He didn’t like this, the familiarity of it, but he could barely keep his eyes open, let alone move off the other man.

“It’s alright darling. It’s alright…” Jack’s voice trailed off as he continued to run his fingers through Rhys’s hair. It felt nice under his touch, oddly soothing, and he could feel himself drift. His hand coming to a stop, still tangled in Rhys’s hair, Jack reluctantly closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep.  
Rhys hated how calm he felt, curled up on Jack’s chest as the man dragged his fingers through his hair (making an utter mess of it, Rhys was sure). After a few minutes of shifting awkwardly, trying unsuccessfully to shake Jack’s hand from his hair, Rhys resigned himself to lying where he was. He let his eyes fall shut, his breath gradually evening out as the drug pushed him into a heavy sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	6. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Just Like A Pill by P!nk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDKGWaCglRM)

Jack woke up several hours later, still in a slight haze. Looking down at the younger man asleep on his chest, he raised a brow. He did remember everything correctly, right? They just laid there on the couch, right? Yeah. Of course that was the case. It was just a light dose of the drug. They were nowhere near blackout levels. Closing his eyes, Jack relaxed back onto the couch, waiting for Rhys to come around.

It took a while longer for Rhys to wake, coming to slowly as the fog lifted from his mind. He shook his head, groaning and turning to bury his face against the warm body underneath him, shielding himself from the unwelcome sunlight filtering into the room.

A shiver ran up Jack’s spine as Rhys buried his face. He laid still, not wanting to disrupt the oddly pleasant moment.

The drug left a soft haze around the edges of Rhys’s mind, dulling his senses even after most of it had worked its way out of his system. It took him several moments to remember his own name, let alone where he was. When the morning’s events finally returned to him he tensed, blinking as he realized who he was pressed up against.

Rhys took in a sharp breath, pushing himself upright far too quickly. His head swam, spots dancing in front of his vision as he gasped and collapsed back onto Jack, whimpering at the dull ache behind his eyes.

Hearing Rhys’s panicked breath, Jack finally spoke, his voice a soft hum. “Take it slow Rhysie. Your head’s still being affected by the drug.” He let out a soft chuckle and opened his eyes to look upon the younger man’s panicked form. Folding his arms behind his head, the older man hummed out calmly. “So relax and be a bit patient, mmkay?”

He could understand the younger man’s panic. It was a bit disorienting the first time he awoke from one of these hazes; he’d nearly strangled a couch cushion in his own panic. At least the younger man’s reaction wasn’t that energetic.

Rhys let out a soft stream of profanities, clutching at his head as he tried to draw his knees up, only to find his long limbs tangled with Jack’s own. Fuck, how did he let this happen? He shouldn’t have taken the damn pill.

Rhys whined, his body flushing all over as he took in the situation: he was pressed flush against the man that had kidnapped him, practically cuddling with him. He wanted to get away but his body still refused to obey, his movements awkward and uncoordinated.

Ow. This kid’s movements were like a newborn giraffe, but this giraffe had a cybernetic arm that was digging into Jack whenever the younger man moved.

“Alright. Stop it. You’re not gonna be able to get up like that, so please just  _ calm down _ ,” Jack barked in a sharp tone.

Rhys flinched at the command, immediately going still save for tilting his head up to look at Jack pathetically. To have his body so far from his control was terrifying, even more so with this man so close.

“Good.” Jack breathed out a sigh and moved to prop himself up with his arms. “Just… Calm down, okay? Moving around this much so soon after all that is the worst thing you can do for your pretty little head right now.

Rhys whined and nodded, wincing slightly Jack’s movement. He wasn’t sure if Jack was talking about the drugs or the attempted strangling, but he didn’t think it mattered. Rhys let out an unsteady breath, anxiously trying to keep himself still as Jack shifted underneath him.

“You’re doing so well right now darling. If you’re patient enough, I’ll get myself up and help you sit up, alright?”

Rhys let out the breath he was holding, murmuring an “okay” as he felt himself begin to tremble, small tremors wracking his body as he laid there in fear. He was okay, though, he was doing what Jack wanted and that would keep him safe, at least for now.

Managing to sit up, Jack gently and carefully moved his arms beneath the younger man and helped him sit up with a gentle push. After a bit of adjusting, he had Rhys sitting up on the couch beside him.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it? See what happens when you  _ trust _ me?”

Rhys was thankful for the slight distance put between them and he slumped back into the sofa cushions weakly. He nodded, feeling sick to his stomach at his own compliance. He should be fighting still, but the steady ache from his throat was a painful reminder of how weak he was in comparison to Jack.

“Don’t you have to work?” Rhys asked, his voice devoid of any venom, seemingly filled with genuine curiosity. Surely Hyperion needed its CEO present in order to run.

A coy smile came to Jack’s lips at the question. He had expected the question to come eventually, however the lack of anger or resentment in the younger man’s voice made Jack’s venomous smile fade to a genuine one.

“Oh, well, yes. I do,” Jack began, his tone somewhat aloof. “Buuuut luckily for you I told my secretary to divert all business to my advisors and only contact me in times of utmost importance.” He couldn’t help but grin in excitement at his own genius. “I said that I had personal affairs to tend to. Smart, right?”

Rhys clenched his fists in his lap, trying to still his shaking. Lucky indeed.

“How long…” Rhys trailed off, not even sure he wanted an answer. He felt like he was going to be sick and the wave of nausea had him sinking lower into the cushions, a whine in the back of his throat. He wasn’t going to be left alone anytime soon, and even if he was, he was sure someone in Jack’s position had security cameras around his home. He’d see whatever sneaking Rhys got up to.

“How long what?” Jack asked. He could read off the younger man’s body language that he was still deathly afraid of Jack. It made sense and it was more than welcome; fear usually meant the inability to act. The inability to act, well… He’d have to fix that if he wanted the rest of his plan to succeed, but for now it helped to keep the younger man stuck by his side.

Rhys shook his head, suddenly not as eager to hear Jack’s answer. He didn’t want to think about how long he’d be stuck with the man as his shadow. Every passing moment seemed to cement for Rhys how trapped he was, how utterly alone and helpless he was in Jack’s ‘care’.

Jack breathed out a huff of disappointment at the younger man’s refusal to speak.

“Falling silent again, are you? Y’know, this’ll all be a lot easier if you’d just relax and go with it. You’re not gonna die. I’m not gonna harm you unless you make me.” Truth be told, Jack was getting tired of hearing himself talk. He liked having meaningful conversations. He missed it ever since...well, never mind that.

It was scary how much Rhys wanted to believe him. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours and Rhys had nearly died twice and god was he tired of the fear. He wanted to believe he was safe if he went along with Jack’s twisted little game.

“I don’t have anything to say,” he offered, shrugging weakly.

“But you were-” Jack began to protest, but decided against it. A sigh escaping from his lips, he relaxed back into the couch cushions. Ah, yes. There was the kernel of an idea he could use to make his guest more comfortable. “Alright… Well, do you have anything you’d like to ask me? I imagine you have a lot of questions by now.”

_ Why are you such a goddamn psycho _ was the first thing that popped to mind, but Rhys thankfully thought better of it. He did have questions, just not ones he was sure he wanted answers to.

“Why are you doing this to me…?” he settled on, keeping his eyes fixed on his hands folded in his lap.

Jack blinked as the question registered. He really hated repeating himself. Once, twice, and then a small chuckle.

“Oh darling, I’ve answered this before. I brought you here because I saw potential in you to make you my student, my apprentice. You have fight in you Rhysie. I like that. That makes for a good serial killer y’know.”

Rhys’s blood ran cold at the answer, his muscles tensing as he stared at his hands. Jack wanted to brainwash him, turn him into some kind of lunatic like Jack. Rhys bit back a whine and glanced over at Jack, gripping his pant legs tightly.

Jack drew his brows together in concern at Rhys’s reaction. “What? What’s wrong? Why can’t you see the gift I’m trying to give you? I want to help you Rhys. I want to make you better than you were. Why don’t you want that?”

He really didn’t get it. Jack really didn’t see the problem with his offer. As far as he was concerned, this was the greatest thing he could offer the younger man.

Rhys whined low in his throat, lifting his hands to wrap his arms around himself. He wanted to curl up and disappear or wake up from this nightmare.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he tried insisting, hoping to convince himself more than Jack.

“Riiiight.” Jack frowned, unamused by the younger man’s actions. “C’mon Rhysie. You might as well tell me everything. You’re not going anywhere for a long while so you’ve really got nothing to lose.” He placed a hand on Rhys’s knee, an attempt at being somewhat comforting. “Trust me. You can tell me  _ anything _ .”

Rhys flinched slightly at the touch, biting back a whimper as he shifted.

“I don’t want to be here,” he murmured, biting his lip. “I just want to go home…”

“Aw, darling,” Jack cooed as he turned to encroach upon Rhys’s space. “Don’t you get it? You are home.  _ This _ is your home now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed both chapters!! We're gettin' close to the good stuff heheheh~
> 
>  
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	7. My Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Psycho by Muse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqLRqzTp6Rk)

Rhys shrank away, pushing himself further into the couch cushions as Jack leaned in. A weak whimper escaped him as his eyes teared up, despair pooling in the pit of his stomach.

Maybe being so upfront right now wasn’t the best idea. The younger man was obviously closing into himself. Jack decided it would be best to pull away for now and let Rhys come to him.

“Alright… Alright, I get it. You want me to go away. Fine. Have it your way. Feel free to come get me if you need me.” Jack rose from the couch and headed off for the kitchen. He had to clean up from that morning’s breakfast anyway.

Oh. Jack seemed irritated now. That stung somewhat and Rhys didn’t like it, choking back a whine as he watched Jack leave the room. Rhys buried his face in his hands, dragging his fingers back through his hair as he went over his options. He sat quietly for several minutes, slowly coming to the realization that he really had no choices left. Jack had cut him off completely from the outside world. He was trapped, with no options but to do what Jack wanted, but what Jack wanted… Rhys shivered, rubbing his arms as he glanced at the kitchen doorway. He couldn’t do what Jack wanted.

Taking a sip from his now cold coffee, Jack set about cleaning up the kitchen. The liquid tasted awful, as chilly as it was, but it helped wake him back up from his haze. Turning on the water to fill up the sink with the morning’s dishes, he noticed the blood dripped along the floor. It had probably left a trail through the house. Jack sighed. Hopefully this kid was worth all of the effort.

Jack took another sip of his coffee, grimacing at the strong bitterness mixing with the taste of crimson left in his mouth from that morning. The younger man really knew how to throw a punch and make it hurt. The more he thought about it the more frustrated he became as he cleaned the dishes. If he could just get Rhys to listen to him, they could get this started. As his mind wandered, his attention strayed from the task at hand, which was, unfortunately, an extremely sharp knife.

“FUCK!” Jack shouted, dropping the knife into the hot water.

Rhys gasped sharply, jumping where he sat and whipping his head around to stare at the kitchen doorway. That didn’t sound good. He moved to his feet slowly, still a bit hazy, and made his way to the kitchen, peering around the entryway.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Jack hissed, grabbing at his wrist and staring down at the gash on his palm and the blood that dripped freely from it.

Rhys stared at Jack’s back for several moments, unsure of what to do. He swallowed thickly, stepping into the kitchen and approaching the other man slowly.

“D-d’you...need help-?”

“What-” Jack turned after jolting at the sudden intrusion of the younger man’s voice. Looking at Rhys, it took him a moment to process what had been said to him. Glancing down at his hand and back to Rhys, he sighs, some of his embarrassment showing through.

“Uh, yeah. I kinda cut myself a bit…”   
  
Rhys winced at the sight of the wound, biting his lip and nodding as he slipped back out of the kitchen. He found his way back to the bathroom upstairs, grabbing the roll of bandages Jack had left there the previous night. Rhys didn’t know where any of the other medical supplies were, so it would have to do. Making his way back downstairs, Rhys paused to consider what he was doing. He knew he shouldn’t be helping, but something told him his life would be a hell of a lot easier if he put himself in Jack’s good graces. He made his way back into the kitchen, walking over to Jack cautiously, roll of bandages in hand. The closer he got, the nastier the cut looked.

“A-are you sure that d-doesn’t need stitches..?”

Seeing Rhys return with the bandages made Jack smile. Wow. The younger man really did want to help him. Hearing Rhys’s question, Jack looks at the wound again and turns his hand so that he can see the cut better.

“Uh...No. Do you know how to sew?” There was no way he’d be able to do that himself.

Rhys cringed at the suggestion, quickly shaking his head in response. “No,” he offered softly, stepping closer and running the tap on low and cool. He reached out and took Jack’s wrist, guiding it under the flow of water to rinse away most of the blood as he undid the roll of bandages.

“Ow! Fuck!” Jack snarled, hissing as Rhys ran the water over his hand. “Hey hey hey, owwww! That hurts!” the older man whined. He’d probably have to retreat it later to avoid infection, or close it up all the way to avoid a nasty scar. “Hey kiddo, what’re you doing? I said that it needed stitches.”

“I can’t sew, so unless you’re going to the hospital…” Rhys trailed off, shrugging weakly in response as he carefully wrapped the roll around Jack’s hand.

“So then…” Jack bit the inside of his cheek as Rhys made him feel, well...a little stupid. He couldn’t lash out at the younger man, though, that would be a terrible move. Especially since the young programmer was currently stemming the bleeding. He frowned, his discomfort evident.

“How come you’re helping? What’re you trying to pull here?”

Rhys froze momentarily, glancing up at Jack before he finished wrapping the man’s hand, tearing the bandage and tying it off.

“I don’t know,” he answered quietly, setting what remained of the roll on the counter.

Jacked hummed softly as he pulled his hand back to inspect the dressed wound.

“Well, you did a good job kiddo.” He reached out for the younger man’s face to show some form of physical gratitude but stopped, pulling his hand back and opting for a kind smile instead. “Thanks.”

To his credit, Rhys managed not to flinch when Jack reached for him, though a look of panic flashed across his face. He swallowed thickly, nodding in response and turning to scurry out of the kitchen.

“Hey, wait a minute,” Jack began as he watched the younger man try to retreat out of the kitchen. What is he doing?  _ Why _ is he being so nice? Jack furrowed his brow and sharpened his tone, calling out-- “Did I say that you could leave?”

Rhys flinched, stopped short with his hand poised on the doorway. He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them slowly, turning to face Jack fearfully.

Keeping his composure, Jack motioned to a chair at the table. “Now sit. We have something to discuss. It’s rather important to your future so I recommend you wake up and actually speak.” He punctuated the slight threat with a smile. “Understand?”

Rhys bit back a soft whine and nodded, shuffling over to the table and sitting slowly. He changed glancing up at Jack’s face then quickly averted his gaze, staring at his own hands folded in his lap.

Watching as Rhys took a seat as commanded, Jack nodded. “Good-” He paused, frowning as Rhys looked away.

“What? Can’t you look at me?” The older man narrowed his gaze to a glare as the heat of anger burned in his gut. “Am I hideous for you to look at?”

Rhys blinked, looking back up and stammering at Jack’s sudden outburst. “W-wh--? No, I didn’t -- didn’t mean anything, I-”

A snarl to his voice, he stepped toward Rhys.

“Sure you didn’t! I see the way you shrink back from me! I see how you can’t look me in the eye! You think I’m a monster! You think I’m just some wild animal behind this mask, don’t you?! Well I got news for you Rhys! I wasn’t born like this! The world did this to me! The world and all of its disgusting filth in it that take their lives for granted!”

Rhys sunk back in his chair, gripping the edges of his seat as he pulled away from Jack. “No, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-!” He whimpered loudly, turning away and trying to bury his face against his shoulder. His breath hitched and his eyes watered, panic building as his heart hammered in his chest.

Lowering his tone to a hiss, Jack loomed over Rhys. “You don’t even know what you’re sorry for… Do you?”

“I don’t--I don’t know, please-” Rhys trembled, shaking his head as he struggled to breathe, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’m just sorry-”

Jack stood up to his full height with a roll of his eyes. Breathing out a sigh, he didn’t take his gaze off the cowering man before him.

“Maybe I’m just wasting my time with you… Maybe I did make a mistake thinking you were worth taking in.”

Rhys fought against every instinct that told him to run. His breath caught in his throat, a pained whimper leaving him.

“I d-don’t know what y-you want from me,” he whined, bringing his hands up to bury his face.

Another growl and Jack was on the younger man, grabbing at his wrists and wrenching them away from his face. “I’ve told you! I’ve told you over and over again what I want, but you refuse to listen!”

Rhys yelped, jerking away from the aggressive touch that aggravated the abrasion on his wrist.

“I don’t understand, my life was FINE, what are you trying to do to it-?!”

Jack gripped Rhys’s bandaged wrist tighter as he became more agitated, growling as he spoke. “I am trying to make it better! I want to make you better! I want to raise you above the filth! Make you smarter than them,  _ better _ than them! You were living a blind life of mindless stupidity before I found you!”

Rhys winced, struggling to pull his hands away. “Please, that hurts,” he whined, finally locking eyes with the furious man in front of him. “Alright, okay-! I’m sorry! Just-..please let go--”

Keeping eye contact with the younger man, Jack lowers his volume, though his tone still held its anger. “Promise me that you’ll listen. Promise me that you’ll at least try to see it my way.”

“I-..I promise,” he whimpered, nodding slowly as he ceased his struggling, too terrified to move. “I promise. Please…”

After a moment’s pause, Jack smiled and let go of Rhys’s wrists.

“Good! See? That wasn’t so hard! As long as you keep that attitude you’ll be living a pretty great life here.” At that, Jack turned and walked back to the sink to continue washing the dishes from that morning, mindless of the freshly bandaged wound on his hand.

Still shaking, Rhys waited several moments before moving, unsteadily climbing to his feet and retreating to the living room once again. He set himself down on the sofa, hugging his knees to his chest and burying his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	8. The Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Hellbent by Mystery Skulls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X79sXBYYgIQ)

**Two Months Later**

 

Rhys found himself with a lot of down time and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He made no more escape attempts, moving cautiously around Jack so as not to set the man off and, for the most part, Jack left Rhys be, forcing the younger man to come to him when he needed things.

Clothes proved to be the first request he was forced to make, as he only had what he’d shown up in, and he refused to sit around in a towel while he washed a single outfit. At some point he also set about dusting the room he’d been put in and laundering the bedding, not wanting to put up with any more sneezing fits in the middle of the night.

Overall, Rhys settled into some sort of awkward routine with Jack, though he was numb to the nausea that had been ever present before. If not for the circumstances, Rhys could almost have called things comfortable.

Frustrating could have been another word for it. But Jack had to keep his composure. He knew that through this calm he was probably, hopefully, creating a bond with his house guest. Plus, he didn’t really have all the time in the world to watch over the younger man. He had cameras providing a twenty-four hour feed of what Rhys did all day, sure, but he couldn’t physically be there the entire time. He had a company to run after all. So he gave Rhys time and space to have free run of the house. As long as he stayed respectful and within the walls of the house, he was allowed to do whatever he wished. The only thing he required was for Rhys to attend certain events, such as meals, and at least speak to him every so often. Both were pretty simple tasks in Jack’s mind.

Today, however, he would see how the younger man’s mental state was holding up. Today he would ask and offer the opportunity of a lifetime again. Today would be the day he decided whether or not he was really going to keep his guest around permanently. Strolling into the room where Rhys was situated, Jack nodded and greeted the younger man.

“Hey there kiddo. How’s it hanging today?”

Rhys jumped slightly, startled out of the book he’d been curled up reading, quite contentedly he might add. He slipped his finger in between the pages to hold his place, closing the book and staring Jack down with some measure of disinterest. Rhys had kept up his silent treatment as long as possible, though he’d eventually caved when Jack had stopped talking as well. He couldn’t get a read on the man’s emotions when Jack didn’t speak, and that scared Rhys more than the talking did. He instead conveyed his annoyance as best he could through body language.

“...I’m fine. What’s going on?”

“Ohhh, y’know. Same old, same old. The company’s good as ever,” Jack began as he sat down in one of the nearby armchairs. “We’re making great profits and I think we might be expanding soon to include coverage on the Edens. So actually, life’s pretty great!” He grinned as he looked over at Rhys, clearly ignoring the man’s disinterest.

A pang of sadness washed over Rhys, his posture weakening somewhat as Jack spoke. It hurt more than he would ever admit to hear about Hyperion’s dealings. Rhys missed his work.

“That’s good,” he replied, chewing on his lip and glancing down at the book in his hands.

“Whatcha reading there, Rhysie?”

“...A murder mystery you had sitting on the shelf.”

“Oh?” Jack grinned, entertained by the irony of the situation. “Well, isn’t that funny? Do you like it? I only leave the best selection of my personal library out for you to find, y’know. Only the best for my honored guest,” he prattled off, his sentence ending in a giddy chuckle. Leaning forward, Jack rested his chin in his hand.

“Speaking of, I have an important question to ask you, kiddo.”

Rhys grimaced, letting out a heavy sigh as he mimicked Jack’s movement, propping his chin in his free hand and fixing the man with a curious stare.

“Oh? What?”

Here it came. Rhys’s chance to really earn his way into Jack’s house and elevate himself from guest to permanent resident.

“How would you like a chance to see the outside world again? I can only imagine how very bored you are living here day in and day out…”

Rhys blinked, nearly dropping the book in his shock. Was Jack serious? There was going to be a catch, Rhys knew it. He could sense it, but...he desperately wanted out of the house.

“Why…” he trailed off, blinking and shaking his head in disbelief. “I want to go out, yeah.”

“Great! Of course you do! You remind me a lot of myself, y’know. So I get it. I get a need to go out. You’re a young man. I shouldn’t be keeping you here for only my eyes to behold your--” he gestured to Rhys-- “bright light of life.” He then pointed a finger at Rhys to keep his attention. “However, there is a catch.”

Ah, there it was. Rhys couldn’t help rolling his eyes at Jack’s description, shifting and sitting up in his seat. He tensed slightly when Jack pointed at him, frowning slightly at the older man.

“What?”

Jack smiled at Rhys’s frown. “You have to be with me,  _ and _ you have to help me with my work.”

The first bit Rhys expected. However cordial he may have been, Jack knew Rhys would still run if given the opportunity.

“Y-your work?”

“Yes. My work.” The older man got a sinister smirk on his lips and a devious look in his eyes. “I assume you do remember the offer I gave you when I first brought you here. Well, I’m offering it to you again. This time, however, is a bit more urgent that you choose correctly.”

Rhys swallowed thickly, biting his lip as he stared at Jack. God he was serious. Rhys sputtered somewhat, trying to formulate some kind of way out.

Jack watched, rather unamused as Rhys stumbled over his words. He sat where he was and awaited the younger man’s answer patiently. If he still refused, well...Jack had a plan for the younger man that involved the knife he carried hidden on his person.

“Wh-..what if I don’t. If I  _ can’t _ ?” Rhys whined, clutching the book in his hands.

His facial expression turning sincere, Jack spoke calmly. “You’ll never know until you try, Rhysie. Just try it. You might just  _ like _ it.”

Rhys thought he might be sick, staring Jack down in silence. “I don’t think I can be like you,” he murmured finally, his tone almost apologetic as he dragged his eyes down to the book he had in his lap.

“ _ Hey. _ ” Jack sharpened his tone, snapping at Rhys. “Eyes on me when we speak darling. I thought that was a well established rule.”

Rhys flinched, looking back up quickly and biting his lip. “Sorry-”

Jack shook his head. “Don’t be sorry kiddo.” He stood from his chair, offering Rhys his hand. “Trust me.”

Rhys blinked, staring at Jack’s hand for several moments. He set the book aside on the nearby table, unfolding himself from the chair and taking Jack’s hand, moving to his feet. Jack smiled at the younger man as he rose.

“Good! Freaking awesome! You made the right choice, Rhys! Y’see, if you refused I woulda had to kill ya for wasting my time for so long!”

Rhys tensed, setting his jaw firmly as he held back a litany of curses.  _ He _ had wasted  _ Jack’s _ time? The nerve of the fucking lunatic. Rhys didn’t  _ volunteer _ to be abducted. He glared faintly, biting his lip and giving Jack a curt nod.

Seeing the change in the younger man’s expression, the smile faded off Jack’s lips. Tilting his head slightly, he bites at the younger man. “What’s that look for?” He tightened his grasp on Rhys’s hand. “Do you have something to say to me?”

Rhys winced, blinking and glancing down at their hands. “It’s nothing important, Jack,” he murmured, clenching his fist at his side.

“You sure kiddo?” Jack didn’t take his gaze from the younger man’s face. “It looks awful important if you’re getting all worked up like this.”

“I’m not. It’s fine, I promise.”

Jack gave Rhys an unamused look for a few moments before shrugging, giving a sharp tug to Rhys’s hand. “Well, whatever. C’mon. I got something for ya.”

Rhys blinked, frowning as he followed after Jack, slipping out of the reading room and down the hallway.

“What is it?”

“You’ll see,” Jack cooed, coming to a stop and opening a door to reveal a staircase leading down to the basement. Holding the door open for Rhys, he grinned. “Go on down. You’re gonna  _ love _ it.”

Rhys held his breath, swallowing and shooting Jack a nervous look. In all his time in the house, he had yet to be in the basement. The door was one of the many that remained constantly locked. Casting Jack another unsure look, Rhys placed a hand on the railing and placed his foot on the step, slowly descending the staircase.

Jack closed the door behind them after flipping the light switch on, following Rhys down the stairs to a much colder part of the house. Placing his hands on Rhys’s shoulders, he felt the younger man jump. A grin on his lips, Jack led Rhys forward as more lights clicked on at the movement, revealing a man tied up and awaiting their arrival. Leaning forward to hiss in Rhys’s ear, Jack grinned as he looked upon the man.

“Just for you, Rhys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit's about to git gud, friends B))))
> 
>  
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	9. First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums by A Perfect Circle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ejsM0VF-Os&feature=youtu.be)

Rhys’s breath caught in his throat and he took a step back, bumping into Jack as panic flooded his system.

“W-what is this-?” he stuttered, glancing over his shoulder at the other man.

Jack smiled, responding rather matter-of-factly to Rhys’s panic. This kind of thing was everyday for him by now, but he relished in seeing the pure terror in the younger man’s eyes. He would have to be broken of that.

“That is your first kill Rhys. I made it easy for you, too. All you have to do is the final step, taking the life from he that took it for granted.” Reaching carefully into his pocket, Jack withdrew the knife he’d been carrying with him. “Here. Take his life.”

Rhys hesitated in taking the knife, ultimately reaching for it simply so that Jack wouldn’t have it (not that Rhys was any safer  _ with _ the knife).

Looking at the petrified man before him, Rhys thought he might be sick. He shivered, gripping the weapon tightly, He would’ve taken another step back but he was already pressed flush again Jack. He took a shuddering breath, whining softly.

“Jack, I-I can’t--”

Seeing the trembling in the younger man’s demeanor, Jack let out a soft ‘tsk’ in annoyance.

“Sure you can, Rhys. You just need to remember that you are doing the world a favor by ridding it of this man. Here, I’ll help you…” At this he took Rhys’s hand in his own, much like a parent showing a child how to properly do something, and moved them both closer to the man tied and gagged in the seat. He tried to thrash and scream, but all that left him was a strained, muffled noise of panic.

Calmly humming in Rhys’s ear, Jack stared down at the man with a cold gaze as he watched the blade draw closer and closer to him.

“All it takes is a flick of your wrist…”

Rhys tried thinking of every possible horrid thing this man could have done, to him or otherwise, but it still didn’t justify this. He took a shaking breath, tensing at Jack’s hand on his own. Rhys squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to steady his breathing and calm down.

Seeing the blade rest so close to the man’s vitals, a sickening smile formed on the CEO’s lips. Letting up his grip a little so that Rhys could move on his own, Jack growled in his ear. “Go on. Do it.”

“Jack-” he whined, his hand shaking in the other man’s grip. All it would really take a well-placed nick in the skin, and… Rhys shuddered, the terror in him building to match that of the sobbing man in front of him. He couldn’t do this, oh god.

“Hush. Hush now,” Jack cooed to the younger man, his tone calm but firm. Feeling the younger man’s heart beating through to his chest was exhilarating. He could feel the terror in the younger man.

“Now Rhys, don’t you think it’s rather sick to be playing with the man like this? I mean, I know what  _ scum _ he is, but to keep him alive like this is, well...It’s exquisitely sick. It’s like you’re making him think over his wasted life. How good of you…”

“No, I-I don’t..don’t think I c-can--” he whimpered, shaking his head. The color had left his face, leaving him pale as a sheet and trembling in Jack’s arms. Rhys slowly realized that it wasn’t too late for Jack to change his mind, to be done with Rhys right then and there.

The situation was starting to grate on Jack’s nerves. As patient as he was trying to be, the man still had a short temper and did not like to have his time wasted. His expression becoming poisonous, he breathed out a hiss into Rhys’s ear. “Don’t, and I’ll kill the both of you right here and now. You’re wasting my time, kiddo.”

There it was again, as if this was all Rhys’s fault and, maybe, in some twisted way it was. If he hadn’t missed his bus that night months ago… The thought sent goosebumps crawling along his skin as he took a steadying breath, trying not to be sick on the spot. It-..it was like self-defense, really. He’d been pushed into a literal ‘kill or be killed’ scenario.

Rhys mouthed an apology, eyes watering as he squeezed them shut and took hold of the man’s shirt, ignoring the muffled cries as he pressed the blade closer to his throat.

It was over in an instant, but the sickening, wet gurgles and the warm flow of blood over his hand had Rhys dropping the knife as if he’d been burnt, crying out in horror as blood spattered the front of him. A wave of fresh nausea hit him, sending him reeling as he tried to turn away from the scene in front of him.

Watching as the knife slid across the man’s throat, Jack smiled, satisfied as he felt some of the spray hit his face. It was messy, yes, but Rhys had to learn if he were to live in this house.

Hearing the cry from the younger man and feeling him turn away from the mess before them, Jack let go of his arm and let the younger man turn against his chest.

“Hey now kiddo,” Jack hummed out in a calm tone, wrapping his arms around Rhys’s trembling form. “The first one is always the roughest. You’re learning though and that’s good. I’m proud of you. It takes a very strong person to go down this path. You’ve made a very, very good choice Rhys. I want you to remember that.”

Rhys buried his face, his breathing erratic as he clung to Jack, bloodying the man’s shirt in the process. It took every ounce of willpower in Rhys not to puke right then and there, instead gulping in breaths of the blood tainted air. Tears streaked down his face, turning pink as they mingled with the blood covering him. ‘Strong’ was not the word Rhys would use to describe himself at that moment. He thought me might faint, but he felt safer now with Jack than he had before. He’d proven that he was something worth keeping around, and that was good. Rhys would have to work with that.

His arms wrapped protectively around the younger man, Jack looked down upon his trembling form, a calm and satisfied smile on his lips as he rubbed gentle circles onto his back. He would have to get rid of both their clothing in addition to the body that was now pooling blood onto the floor, but that was a small price to pay for what he had just gained in the younger man. Keeping his tone gentle, he spoke to Rhys to help him through the shock of what had just occurred.

“It’s alright darling. You’re safe. This was the first and most difficult step towards your new life, but don’t worry. You’re safe with me now. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Rhys hiccuped, breath catching on a sob in his throat as his body shook in Jack’s arms. He was safe now, he was safe until he’d have to do it again, but maybe by then he could have figured something out. The more time that passed in the large house, the less Rhys thought he’d be able to slip back into his life, and after this...it was like an ill fitting glove. There was no turning back now, he’d just--..he’d just killed a person. Rhys gagged, squeezing his eyes shut as he nodded frantically, pressing his face against Jack’s shoulder.

It seemed as if his plan had worked. The younger man was clinging to him and had just killed at his command. Now all Jack needed was a little bit more time and nurturing before he could really train him to be his pupil. First, however, he would have to care for the younger man. He seemed rightly traumatized. Jack’s own first kill in this new profession hadn’t been nearly as bloody.

Hearing the younger man gag, Jack tensed for a moment; he didn’t really like that noise very much, but he recovered quickly. Jack had to keep his composure as pristine as possible. It was on him to really cement this bond between them.

He softly shushed the younger man, running a comforting hand down his back. “Hush now Rhys. It’s over now… Let’s get you cleaned up and then you can relax while I take care of this mess, alright?”

Another nod and muffled “alright” and Rhys was relaxing his grip on Jack, leaning back to bring his bloodshot eyes up to meet Jack’s own, cheeks stained with streaks of blood and tears. He slowly pulled his hands away from Jack’s shirt, staring at the bloody hand prints he’d left in the fabric. Rhys didn’t want to know what _ he _ looked like right now. He’d acted as a human shield to Jack.

Wow. Looking upon Rhys, he could finally see how very covered in blood the younger man was. “Damn, kiddo. You really did make a mess of yourself.” The tear streaks that cut through the blood spattered on the younger man’s face made him look like a macabre artwork. That was somewhat true of what Rhys was to the CEO at that moment; his very own living art piece.

Cutting the silence in the room, Jack chuckled softly and offered his hand to the bloody man. “Sorry. I think I’m funnier than I am sometimes. C’mon. I’ll take you to the nicest bathroom in the house.”

Rhys shivered, nodding and taking hold of Jack’s hand, letting himself be led from the chilly basement. He was still pale, a stark contrast to the red streaking his skin. Rhys tried not to think about what he looked like. He stared at the floor, stumbling on the stairs as he followed Jack back up into the house, his form still trembling weakly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Endlessly amused by how many ppl thought it was gonna be Vaughn. We're not _that_ cruel, yeesh! At least not yet ;P
> 
>  
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	10. Vulnerability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Song For The Deaf by Queens Of The Stone Age](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GfWpc2C_cc&feature=youtu.be)

Leading the younger man up the stairs to the top floor, Jack opened a door off one of the main hallways to reveal a large master bedroom. He quickly led Rhys through the messy room, opening a door to reveal a larger, more lavish bathroom than the one they’d been in previously. Rhys barely registered where they were going, tracing an unfamiliar path through the house. He stared at his hand in Jack’s, blood covering his fingers.

“Welcome to my personal bathroom kiddo! You deserve the best after the good job you did tonight.” Pointing to a large, fancy shower, Jack released the younger man’s hand. “I’m guessing you know what that is. Towels are in the closet, right there.” He pointed to another door near the bathroom’s entrance. “I’ll leave you some clothes on the counter and I’ll be waiting right outside, mmkay? Did you understand me Rhys?”

Rhys blinked slowly, drawing his attention up to the room they stood in when Jack spoke. He nodded mutely, his legs shaking slightly where he stood.

“A-alright,” he stammered, his voice weak. Jack had promised to take him out if he’d complied. Maybe...maybe he could still get away, find help. He flinched, shaking the dangerous thought from his head as he slipped off his shoes, fingers moving and struggling to undo the buttons of his shirt.

“Alright. Good. I’ll be right back with some clothes. Sure, they may not fit as well, but whatever.” Walking back out into the bedroom, Jack fished through the nearby dresser to find some clothes for the younger man. He pulled out a pair of new looking sweatpants and a Hyperion t-shirt, ducking back into the bathroom to place the clothes on the counter. Jack closed the door to the bathroom, giving the younger man some privacy. He deserved it after what the older man had put him through.

Looking down at his own clothes, Jack noticed a bit of splatter lingering here and there. Letting out a sigh, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the side, flopping down on the nearby bed. He intended to wait for his turn in the shower, however lying down led to Jack drifting off. He had forgotten until then that he hadn’t actually slept the night before, hunting instead for the body now residing in their basement. He knew he had to clean the mess the two of them had left down there, but for the moment he didn’t care. His body needed sleep.

Rhys shrugged out of his shirt, wadding it up and setting it carefully on the edge of the sink. He waited for Jack to leave the clean clothes before he slipped out of his pants, leaving them with the shirt. At least out of his clothes there was far less blood, but it didn’t make the cool, tacky feeling on his face any less horrifying.

He stepped into the shower, turning the water on practically scalding levels as he shook himself from his stupor, vigorously scrubbing the blood from his skin and hair. He spent the better part of an hour under the hot spray, doing his damned hardest to scrub away the top layer of skin, hoping that would somehow rid him of the phantom sensation. It didn’t.

When he finally shut the water off he was flushed all over, overheated by the scalding water. He grabbed a towel from the closet and toweled dry quickly, pulling on the sweatpants and t-shirt that were a bit too small. He’d have to change when he got back to his room. He dried his hair, combing his fingers through it before he opened the bathroom door, scanning cautiously for Jack.

Catching sight of the man’s sleeping figure, Rhys relaxed slightly. He stepped out of the bathroom and made his way across the room carefully, pausing in the doorway. He should have gone back to his room, he knew, but the thought of being alone right now...it scared Rhys.

He whined softly, slinking back into Jack’s room and over to the side of the bed. Rhys lowered himself onto the comforter slowly, careful not to jostle the sleeping man. He shifted and laid down, curling up at the older man’s side.

After a few minutes, Jack rolled over with a soft, sleepy groan. His arm draped over the younger man’s form curled up at his side, Jack stayed fast asleep. Rhys jolted slightly at the movement, blinking and shifting under Jack’s arm. Sleeping, he seemed a lot less like the serial killer he was on an everyday basis. Rhys studied the man’s face, caught off guard by how normal he looked.

Rhys huffed out a sigh, closing his eyes and pressing closer to Jack’s chest. The younger man’s presence caused Jack to loop his arm tighter around Rhys’s figure, pulling him in closer as a smile formed on his lips. Rhys yelped softly at the movement, blinking in surprise. He blushed all the way to his roots, glancing at the smile on Jack’s features. He looked so...harmless like this. Rhys swallowed thickly, trying to shift and make himself more comfortable, pressed up against Jack’s body, without waking the CEO. He finally settled, hesitantly looping an arm around Jack’s midsection and snuggling nearer, closing his eyes.

An hour or so later, the CEO began to stir from his slumber. His eyes opening, Jack tensed for a moment as he realized something was wrapped around his waist. Looking down, Jack breathed in sharply when he saw Rhys pressed up against his chest. His mind raced through a few thoughts to try and think of an answer to his panicked questions.

_ ‘What did I do? Why don’t I remember? Did Rhys… No. Impossible. He’s too innocent. Too vanilla. No no no. He must’ve done this while he was asleep.’ _

Rhys groaned softly when Jack shifted, hugging him closer and sighing contentedly in his sleep. He was emotionally drained after what he’d been through and the contact made him feel safe and grounded. He mumbled in his sleep, shivering and curling up slightly against Jack’s warm figure.

Coming to the conclusion that this must’ve been innocent, Jack relaxed. Noticing Rhys’s slight shiver, Jack gently rubbed his hand down the younger man’s side. This was unexpected, but...nice. The CEO didn’t think that something like what had happened in the basement would end up so calm and comfortable. He thought to wake the younger man but didn’t, choosing instead to let him get some rest after such a stressful day.

Rhys grumbled, turning slightly and burying his face against the blankets. It was a troubled sleep filled with playbacks of his trauma that were far too vivid for his liking. Noticing the younger man shift, Jack raised a brow. This could be a potential problem. Letting out a soft, curious hum, Jack thought to wake Rhys before the younger man woke suddenly, his fingers curling and nails digging into the skin of Jack’s bared back. The CEO yet out a sharp yelp.

“Ow! Not so rough kiddo, jeez!”

Rhys blinked rapidly, trying to orient himself as Jack spoke. He gasped softly and jerked his hand away, pulling his arm back to his chest as a dark blush colored his cheeks.

“S-sorry,” he sputtered, tilting his head down in embarrassment.

Jack chuckled softly, keeping his hand on Rhys and stroking down the younger man’s side, feeling the soft material under his touch. “It’s okay Rhysie. You’re alright. I just wasn’t expecting you to dig your nails into me like that. You took me a bit by surprise is all.”

“Bad dream,” Rhys replied softly, reaching up to rub at his eyes tiredly. He glanced up at Jack, the blush still present on his cheeks as the situation returned to him. He was...oh god. How had Jack not just kicked him out of the bed?

“I-I’m sorry. I should’ve left, I just--...” he trailed off awkwardly.

Jack kept a smile on his lips as he watched the younger man struggle. He was right to react this way, to wake up like this  _ was _ awkward, especially after what Jack had put Rhys through just a few hours before. Jack, however, liked the situation. He felt comfortable in it. He was, daresay, beginning to feel a happiness that he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“It’s alright kiddo,” Jack reassured him. “I really don’t mind.”

Rhys nodded slowly, swallowing around a lump in his throat as he nestled close to Jack, letting out a shaky breath. He relaxed a fraction, shifting under Jack’s touches as he lifted a hand to stifle a yawn.

“I should-...probably leave you alone now, huh.”

Jack blinked at Rhys’s statement, a little confused by what he said. “What? Why? I’m just fine staying right here.” He paused a moment before speaking again. “With you.”

Rhys faltered, sputtering slightly as he turned his attention back up to Jack, blushing something fierce.

“What?”

“Hm?” Jack tried to play off his own embarrassment at his own statement, a soft tinge of a blush burning onto his cheeks, thankfully hidden beneath the mask. “I said that I don’t mind being here with you. I don’t think that’s very hard to understand.”

That...caught Rhys completely off guard if he was being honest. “N-no, I just...I wasn’t...expecting it,” he murmured, rubbing at his eyes again as he tried to avoid eye contact with Jack in his own embarrassment.

“Aw, darling…” Jack couldn’t help but chuckle at the younger man. “It;s okay. Really. You’re allowed. If you weren’t, you’d know.” He brought a hand up to Rhys’s face, cupping it gently. “You’re this close because I want you to be this close.”

Rhys’s heart hammered in his chest, threatening to break loose. He blinking slowly, turning into the gentle touch. “Okay,” he murmured, shifting and sighing heavily. The whole situation was wrong, but...Rhys felt safe for the first time since this nightmare had started.

A soft smile on Jack’s lips, he watched as the younger man reacted so domestically to his touch. To be this genuinely intimate with someone after such a long time was slightly alarming, but it came as oddly comforting to the older man. It was nice to see the younger man acting so calmly in his presence.

Gently brushing his thumb along Rhys’s cheek, Jack spoke softly. “Do you want to stay here for a while? You look tired darling.”

Rhys glanced up at Jack, unsure. “Is that...alright?” he asked quietly, shifting carefully. He felt clingy, which he supposed was to be expected after what had happened. But so long as Jack felt happy with him, Rhys was safe, and safe felt nice.

Jack wrapped his arm tighter around Rhys’s thinner form, a slightly patronizing tone to his voice. “Course it is, kiddo. Believe it or not, I like having you here with me. I just, y’know…” He glanced off past Rhys for a moment, a little uncomfortable with himself before looking back down at the younger man under his arm. “Didn’t expect this kinda closeness.” A soft chuckle shaking his shoulders, he tilted his head up to look away from Rhys. “Gosh. Lookit me,” he hummed aloud, mainly to himself. Jack didn’t particularly enjoy feeling this unsure about himself.

Rhys hummed softly in response as he considered the situation and Jack’s odd behavior. At least Rhys wasn’t the only one that felt strangely about the current circumstances. He huffed out a long sigh, looking down and closing his eyes, nuzzling against Jack’s chest.

“I didn’t really expect this either,” he murmured, breathing out softly against the tanned skin.

Feeling the soft touches of the younger man against his bare chest sent a chill up Jack’s spine. It felt strange, but nice. Maybe he should just go along with it too. Let himself fall into the story he’d set up for them.

“Rhys,” Jack breathed out before looking down at the younger man. “Are you comfortable like this? Do you...like this?”

He blinked slowly, glancing up at Jack. Was he okay with this? Rhys frowned slightly at the thought. If he wasn’t okay he wouldn’t be doing it.

“I’m...more comfortable than I was,” he replied softly.

Interesting answer. Raising a brow, Jack smiled softly at the younger man. “Well, at least that’s something.” Gently bringing his hand up to Rhys’s head, he brushed the hair off the younger man’s forehead. “We’ll just have to work on you becoming completely comfortable, won’t we?”

Rhys couldn’t help but smile hesitantly, giving a small nod and humming in affirmation as Jack brushed his hair back. He was considerably calmer than when he’d been brought upstairs, and something in the back of his mind told him he should still be worried, should still be absolutely petrified. It was hard to find the strength to muster that kind of reaction, though. He shut his eyes again, curling against Jack’s form and exhaling slowly.

Watching as Rhys made himself more comfortable against his form, Jack realized again how tired he was. The last few weeks of caring for Rhys and trying to establish their bond really took it out of the older man. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Jack had his physical limits too. Maybe this was the time to plant some of those final seeds of trust.

Letting himself yawn, Jack removed his hand from Rhys’s hair. “Hey Rhys, how about we sleep here for a while? We’re both pretty tired after all.”

“That sounds nice.” Rhys nodded again, letting his eyes fall shut as he looped his arm around Jack’s midsection once again.

“Good.” Jack moved his hands up to the clasps on the sides of his mask as he continued to speak softly. “But don’t sleep just yet. I need you to see something.”

“Mm?” Rhys grumbled softly, reluctantly cracking one eye open and tilting his head up. He blinked, leaning back slightly as Jack undid the mask.

Gingerly undoing the clasps that attached the mask to his face, Jack breathed out a sigh as he felt air hit the sensitive skin of his face and the scar. “I figured that I can trust you, so I wanted to show you this.” Looking down at Rhys, the scar seemed to shine in the dimly lit room. “This is what I really look like Rhys.”

The younger man held his breath, not sure what to expect. The mask was such a permanent fixture he’d stopped questioning it after the first few days. To see what was underneath…

A soft 'oh' left his lips as he stared up at Jack, stunned by what he saw. He wasn’t sure what he had expected was hiding beneath, but being able to see it was something else. He pulled his hand away from Jack’s side, extending his fingers almost torturously slowly towards the scar.

Watching the younger man’s reaction closely, Jack breathed in sharply as Rhys stared up at him. He had to keep it together. He had never shown anyone else this before, but he had to keep his cool. He couldn’t be nervous. Well, he could be, but he couldn’t show it.

As he watched Rhys’s hand get closer and closer to his face, however, Jack couldn’t help but flinch. It was weird to have someone so close to this secret of his. Rhys was the only one to look upon his monstrous scar for so long.

Rhys stopped, pulling his hand back when Jack flinched. “Sorry… Does-..does it hurt?” he asked softly, studying the mark closely from here he lay.

“No,” Jack began, all too aware of how vulnerable he had just made himself. “Not anymore. It’s just that I’ve never shown anyone this before. You’re the first person to see this secret of mine.” He had to make one last act of trust. Just one more to show the younger man that he was willing to accept his trust. He breathed out his first two words in a sigh. “You can...touch it if you really want to. It’s weird, I know, but it ain’t gonna bite you or anything.”

Rhys blinked, nodding and reaching out once again, gingerly brushing his fingers along the edges of the angry mark. It looked so painful, Rhys couldn’t help but wonder what had caused it.

“I like it,” he murmured, not stopping to consider the words before they left his mouth. “It makes you...more human.”

Jack blinked back at Rhys. He was truly taken aback by the younger man’s words. That was the first time in a long time that anyone had referred to him as ‘human’. It was a bit overwhelming to hear coming from someone who had so intently hated him just a short period of time before.

“You…” Jack began, his mouth not quite forming the words at first. “You really think so?”

“Mmhm,” Rhys hummed, nodding slowly and dropping his hand back to Jack’s side. He leaned close, nestling against the crook of Jack’s neck with a sleepy sigh.

Jack smiled at Rhys’s affirmation as he gently placed the mask on a space on the large bed. The nestling sent another chill down the older man’s side, he returned his arm to wrap around Rhys’s side.

“Thank you,” Jack responded simply, his tone calm as he let his eyes fall closed. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you said that.”   
  
Rhys nodded gently, letting his eyes shut as he drifted off, comfortable for the first time since this nightmare had started.

 

* * *

 

Waking before the younger man, Jack yawned like a large cat as he chased the exhaustion away from his mind. Looking down, he saw Rhys still pressed against his bare chest and he smiled. It appeared as if his plan had finally bloomed into something and it pleased the older man’s twisted mind to no end. Unfortunately, the CEO couldn’t revel in the spoils of his hard work for long as the carcass of Rhys’s first kill still remained in the basement. It wouldn’t be too much of a hassle to clean--he had laid out the proper setup to make it easier and he had let bodies lay for longer. However, it was still his least favorite part of the job, and it wasn’t even the fun kind of messy either. It was just a time consuming necessity at this point.

Rising from the bed, Jack gently moved from the younger man’s side and pulled on his dirtied shirt from earlier, leaving to the basement where he worked on cleaning up the mess. He always hated the stench that came with cleaning up old bodies. It bit at his nose and threatened to turn his stomach with each minute he was near with an exposed mouth and nose, so he made sure to tie a thick knit bandana around his mouth and nose for that kind of thing. It wasn’t particularly the safest method, but it still did the job.

Working on the body, Jack carefully cut it into small enough pieces and, after carefully removing and destroying the teeth and fingerprints, bagged it accordingly.

Rhys was more exhausted than he’d realized, having only slept erratically the last several weeks. The lack of sleep caught up with him, knocking him out for most of the duration of Jack’s absence. He woke with a start, immediately aware of the chill that was present now that the warm body beside him was gone. Rhys frowned sleepily as he sat up in the bed, slowly moving to his feet before he ventured downstairs to his own room, changing out of the ill-fitting clothing Jack had lent him and into something of his own, fixing his hair in his own bathroom while he was at it.

Rhys went to the ground floor, checking the rooms he was allowed in for any signs of Jack before he settled in front of the basement door. Right. There was a...mess to clean down there. Jack had probably gone to take care of it. Rhys grimaced at the thought, rubbing his arms as goosebumps rose along the skin. Best to leave the man be if that’s where he was.

He started when he heard footsteps ascending the stairs, pausing a moment before he pulled the door open and stepped back, using the wooden object as a barrier between himself and whatever the man was bringing up the stairs. Rhys knew, but he didn’t want to think about it. He bowed his head sheepishly, avoiding eye contact as Jack stepped up into the main house with his putrid cargo.

“Cover your mouth or something Rhysie! This is pretty disgusting!”

Rhys blinked, frowning and pulling the collar of his shirt up over his nose and mouth, pressing his hand against the fabric.

“God, what did you do to him-?” he whined, taking a step further back behind the door.

“What did  _ I _ do to him?” Jack parroted back, mocking the younger man. “You did this kiddo, not me. I just made the body a bit easier to transport.” Kicking the door closed once he was off the staircase, he looked to Rhys. “We gotta clean up our messes, y’know.”

Rhys choked on his response, whimpering and nodding as he shrank back from the other man. His eyes watered, whether from horror or the stench he wasn’t sure, but he averted his gaze as Jack spoke. Something about the way he phrased it-- _ our _ messes--gave Rhys unpleasant chills. He knew deep down this wasn’t going to be a one time occurrence. Jack wouldn’t let him off that easily. But he had still hoped.

Rolling his eyes at Rhys’s lack of a response, Jack nodded for the younger man to follow. Leading him out to the garage, the older man walked with the body bag along the line of cars within. Opening the trunk of one of the larger cars, Jack hoisted the bag into it and, after closing it with a slam, pulled the bandana down off his face.

“Phew! That guy was  _ A LOT _ heavier than I remember.” He looked to Rhys with a grin. “You ready for a field trip, kiddo?”

Rhys perked up noticeably at the promise of an outing and nodded vigorously. “Yeah--” he replied quickly.

“Alright then,” Jack hummed as he walked over to the passenger side door. Opening it, he gestured for Rhys to get in. “Let the adventure begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeyyy guys, how's it been!! I promise we're not dead, and this fic has NOT been abandoned! It is entirely my (Rhys's) fault that this has gone so long without an update, and I apologize to and thank everyone that's been waiting patiently xP You're all wonderful people
> 
> As always, constructive criticism is more than welcome, and any and all comments are appreciated! If you like it, let us know!! (:
> 
> \-----
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	11. The Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Rocksteady by The Bloody Beetroots](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSqttO3NtCg)

Rhys only hesitated a moment before he slid into the car, cautiously eyeing the interior of the vehicle as he slid the safety belt into place.

“Where-...where are we going?” he inquired softly, watching as Jack entered the car from the other side. Dropping down into the driver’s seat, Jack turned the key in the ignition and grinned. He always loved the purr of a car engine.

“Well, we’ve got to get rid of the body. Plus…” Jack’s voice trailed off as he backed out of the space and drove out of the garage. Pulling out of the house gate, watching as they closed behind the car, he continued. “You and I need to talk.”

Rhys lost himself for a moment, marveling at the view outside the car window. It felt as if it had been so long since he’d seen the outdoors. He was contained within the vehicle, but still. He blinked as Jack spoke, fidgeting slightly in his seat. Apprehension rose in his gut at the man’s words. Had he done something wrong?

“Talk...about what?”

“I figured that I owe you at least an explanation,” Jack began simply, his tone even and calm. Turning out onto the street, Jack glanced at Rhys before looking back to the road. “I want you to know why I do this job of mine. Why it’s so important to me.”

Rhys relaxed slightly at Jack’s words, tilting his head as he returned his attention back out the window at the world passing them by. He wasn’t really sure he wanted an explanation. After this long and what he’d been through it felt somewhat superfluous.

“I didn’t know you considered this a job,” he replied.

“Of course I do,” Jack snapped, his tone firming up a bit. It was a little frustrating to hear Rhys sound so uninterested. Then again, the younger man hadn’t seen anything outside the house in over a month.

“Someone’s got to remind people of the fragility of their lives. These people, they take everything for granted: their jobs, their things,” he took a deep breath as he paused on the thought. His voice quieter, he finished the sentence with a pain in his chest. “Their loved ones…” Jack was quickly pulled away from the conversation by thoughts of the past, and the car fell silent save for the gentle hum of the engine.

Rhys had to resist the urge to press his fingers to the glass like a child as he studied everything outside the window, only half listening to Jack. The tone of his voice caught Rhys’s attention, though, and he turned his head slightly to study Jack’s expression. There was more to this man than met the eye, that much Rhys knew. He wasn’t just some garden variety crazy out to cause chaos. However fucked up it was, Jack had a purpose, and for whatever reason he’d brought Rhys along to learn it.

“Why didn’t you kill me that night? Wouldn’t it have been easier…”

The younger man’s question brought Jack out of his thoughts. He shrugged as he pulled up to a stoplight, gently pressing on the brake.

“Yeah, it woulda just been another routine kill… But you.” He shifted in his seat to look at Rhys, the red glow from the stoplight illuminating the man and his scar in the darkness of the car. “I sensed something different in you that night. You’re special, Rhys.”

Special. The word bounced around in Rhys’s skull, a gentle frown gracing his features as he stared back at Jack, unsatisfied with the answer he was given.

“I don’t understand,” he muttered, carding his fingers through his hair as he watched the older man in the glow of the light. “Even as a programmer I’m nothing special.”

“No,” Jack responded firmly as he pointed at Rhys. The younger man flinched away from the offending digit, blinking as Jack admonished him. “No. Don’t you  _ dare _ say that. I’m never wrong about a person. You have that spark in you that very few people do. Your energy is powerful and it’s exactly what I need in an heir.” Leaning forward, Jack’s gaze bored into Rhys’s. “Don’t you get it? You have what it takes to make a real difference in this world full of wasted life.”

An...heir..? Is that what Jack was looking for from him? To take over his ‘business’ of killing? Rhys’s stomach turned at the thought.

“I don’t know,” he murmured, biting his lip and hesitantly tearing his eyes away from Jack’s own.

“ _ Hey _ .” Jack’s tone was biting as his frustration began to grow again. His hand moved to Rhys’s chin, forcing the younger man to look at him. Rhys yelped at the contact, blinking fearfully as he met Jack’s gaze. “None of that lack of confidence nonsense. I know you can do this.” Ignoring the green light, he narrowed his gaze to a glare. “Do you understand me?”

Rhys swallowed thickly, eyes watering as he nodded sharply, hands curling into worried fists in his lap.

“Good.” Jack left a gentle pap on Rhys’s cheek as he turned his attention back to the road. Lurching the expensive car forward, his tone returned to a cheerful one. “There are rules y’know. I do actually have a system for how I do my job.”

Rhys lifted a hand to rub gingerly at his cheek, almost pouting as he glanced at Jack. “You mean it’s not just random chaos?” he asked softly.

“Yeah, of course,” Jack chimed back. “Psychos do random chaos. I choose who I kill carefully. I watch them and if they qualify as a target then I make my move.”

“Qualify?” the younger man repeated, arching an eyebrow as he gave Jack a sideways glance. “You what, have a list of criteria or something?”

“Mmhm,” the older man hummed, a calm smile on his lips. “I watch to see who isn’t appreciating what they have. I find the people who need to be used as a reminder. More importantly, I find those that don’t need to be in the world. I’m doing everyone a service, y’see.”

“A reminder…?” Rhys murmured, leaning heavily against the car door as he curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his torso as he scanned out the window. It made sense in its sick, twisted way he supposed.

“What are you, a parrot?” Jack raised a brow at the younger man’s repetition. “But yeah. It makes sense, doesn’t it? I make people see that they should appreciate what they have… But I’m repeating myself now.” Pulling into a vast, empty dirt lot, he turned to Rhys. “Do you get it yet or am I wasting my time?”

Rhys remained silent for several moments, rubbing the goosebumps from his arm. He took a deep breath, exhaling shakily as he looked about the empty lot.

“I-...I guess I understand.”

Jack frowned at the answer and sighed. It was getting a little tiring for the older man at this point and it was looking a little like the young programmer was just feeding him what he wanted to hear.

“Rhys…”

“Hm?” He blinked slowly, tearing his attention away from the window and turning to Jack reluctantly.

“Stop telling me what I want to hear.” Jack sighed, noting the reluctance on the younger man’s features with some frustration on his own part. “I get that enough at Hyperion. It’s just a bunch of freaking idiots who just want to make me happy so that they can get paid. Look, I  _ trusted _ you with this. I even trusted you with being able to see a bit more of me. Why can’t you appreciate that?”

“I’m...trying,” Rhys whined, frowning as he crossed his arms stubbornly across his chest.

Letting out a frustrated huff, Jack growled at the programmer. “Are you really? It doesn’t look like it when you don’t even make an effort to talk to me. It’s like living with a freaking plant! And when you do talk it’s like you’re not even there!”

“You tore me from a perfectly normal life,” Rhys snapped, though his voice lacked the venom he would’ve liked it to have. He merely whined at Jack instead.

“You made me-...made me k-” Rhys stammered, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head vigorously to rid himself of the violent mental image. “This isn’t an  _ easy  _ adjustment,” he whimpered, staring hard at his lap.

Seeing Rhys’s reaction, Jack sighed. The younger man did have a point. It took Jack some time to get used to all of it at first as well.

“I understand that Rhys. Killing isn’t easy… But you’ve just got to remember one thing: you are doing this for a reason. You’re doing it because you have the full potential and the right energy to make a real difference.” Going to clasp a hand on Rhys’s shoulder, Jack pulled back, deciding instead to give him his space. Frowning, Jack began to speak again.

“Look, I’m sorry for trying to kill you.”

Rhys wanted to snap, wanted to lash out, but the fury for it just wouldn’t come. He sat huddled in the seat, staring at his knees as Jack spoke. He was so sick of crying, he’d done so much of it in the last month, he didn’t want to do it anymore, especially not in front of Jack.

“Maybe you should have,” he whispered.

“What--” Jack began to snap, but bit the inside of his cheek instead. Breathing out, he brought a hand up to his head to rub at his temple. “And why do you say that? Why don’t you want this gift?”

“I just-...let’s just get this done with,” Rhys sighed, unlatching his seatbelt and moving to open the car door.

Breathing out a huff, Jack swiped his hand up to the car door and pressed the automatic lock, trapping Rhys inside. His tone sharpened as he dropped his hand back down into his lap.

“No, Rhys. Not yet. This is important. Tell me what you mean. Stop running away from it.”

“I’m not running away from anything,” Rhys hissed, glaring accusingly at the door, his hand resting on the handle.

“You’re lying to me,” Jack responded, his gaze locked on the younger man.

Rhys could feel the stare boring into him and he swallowed thickly, gripping the handle with white knuckles. He whined softly, leaning against the door to put as much distance as he could between himself and Jack. He still couldn’t shake the clingy neediness he felt and despite the space, he still wanted to be near Jack.

“I just want to get this done and go home…”

Jack wasn’t going to let this go. He wanted to know why Rhys wanted him to kill him. He wanted to know why Rhys didn’t want what Jack called such a great gift. He also wanted to know why Rhys was so damn distant most of the time, but then would sleep pressed up next to him. It was maddening to Jack to not understand.

“Not until you tell me why you said that. We’ll sit here all night if we have to.”

“Please,” Rhys whined, squeezing his eyes shut. He didn’t understand it himself, the conflicting needs and wants he felt. He was sick of feeling miserable and trapped and scared all the time.

Sitting back in his seat, Jack crossing his arms. “Nope. That’s not going to work on me. Not this time. You have to explain yourself, there’s no way out of this Rhys.”

Rhys slumped in the seat, dropping his head against the window with a soft whine as he felt his eyes tear up.

“I’m scared, I just want to go home.”

Jack rolled his eyes; that again?

“What’s wrong kiddo? Just a minute ago you were so mad at me about something that you told me you wanted me to kill you. Now you just want to go home? Stop playing with me Rhys.”

“I’m not,” he murmured, shaking his head slowly. “I want to go home. It’s safe and it’s quiet, and you’re not angry there…”

Something in what Rhys said to him made Jack relax back from the topic. Breathing out a sigh, he reached up and unlocked the car doors.

“Fine. I believe you… But we can’t go home yet. We’ve got a job to do.” At this Jack pressed the latch for the trunk, climbing out of the car.

Rhys hesitated a moment, worried Jack might lock him back in. He opened the door and stepped out slowly, almost fearfully, as he looked around the empty lot. It was the first time he’d been outside in over two months and it terrified him. The urge to run was gone. Running was dangerous, but it was safe with Jack. He turned and circled the car cautiously, following Jack around to the trunk.

The CEO pulled a shovel from the trunk, looking up when Rhys walked up to the soft glow of the small interior light emanating from the trunk. He smiled as if they had never had the conversation in the car. As far as the older man was concerned, it never had happened.

“There you are. Now do you wanna carry the shovel or the body?”

“Shovel,” Rhys blurted out, shaking his head quickly at the sight of the putrid bags in the back of the trunk. He was not lugging around bags full of chunks of body. No way.

“Alright, fine,” Jack whined out mockingly as he handed Rhys the shovel. “I get first dibs on the nice shower when we get home though.” Hoisting the bags out of the back with a grunt, Jack started walking towards a spot further away from the car. “Grab a flashlight and close the trunk Rhysie! The faster we move, the faster we can go home!”

Rhys nodded, turning and digging a heavy flashlight out of the trunk before slamming it shut, switching the light on and hurrying after Jack in the dark. Walking until the car was almost out of sight, Jack dropped the bags down with a wet thud. A soft huff to his voice, he pointed to a patch of soft, red dirt.

“There. We’ll bury it there. Don’t worry though. The dirt’s pretty soft here, so it’s not too hard to dig.”

Rhys grimaced as he realized his choice to carry the shovel meant he’d be digging first, if not doing all of it. He groaned softly and moved to hand the flashlight off to Jack. Taking the light source from Rhys, Jack pointed at the dirt again.

“Don’t worry kiddo, if you get too tired, I’ll just carry you back to the car.” Rhys rolled his eyes, scoffing quietly at the comment as he shook his head, stepping forward into the beam of light to sink the shovel into the space Jack indicated. Drawing out his words, the CEO continued, “Aaaaand there might just be a reward in it for you being such a good boy.”

The tone of his voice and his words as he spoke made a heavy blush rush to Rhys’s cheeks, and he was immediately glad his back was turned to the other man.

Watching as the younger man dug into the soft earth, Jack’s gaze left Rhys’s back to glance out into the darkness. Out in the middle of nowhere like this, the older man knew that he had to keep his guard up. Evil people and beasts lurked out here in the Dust at night. Keeping in his mind the gun he had tucked into his pants, Jack stared out at the darkness. After a while of standing out in the darkness, Jack yawned. It was starting to get a bit boring, but then again for a task like this boring was wanted.

Rhys let his mind wander as he dug, the task repetitive and monotonous, requiring very little of his attention. He didn’t like being out here, so far from everything. It felt wrong in a way he couldn’t quite describe. He wasn’t quite sure how deep he was supposed to be going. The body was, after all, in pieces, no longer one solid mass. He paused in his digging, turning to ask Jack a question when a noise from the nearby brush made him whip his head back around, freezing in place. Hearing the sound as well, Jack turned to where he heard it come from, the light from the flashlight moving with him. Ready to pull his gun if he needed to, Jack took a few steps toward the brush to see what had made the noise.

Rhys took a half step back in the darkness, whining softly. He opened his mouth to call out to Jack when a couple of skags emerged, very much displeased with the intrusion into their territory. He gasped sharply, jumping back with a loud curse as he gripped the shovel in his hands, glancing warily at Jack. the skags were big and they did not look happy to see either human.

“Oh shit,” Jack began as he reached back and pulled his gun. Backing away from the skags, he raised the weapon, keeping his sights and the flashlight beam on the creatures. “Rhys, use that shovel if you need to. These things don’t like us very much.”

With a nasty growl the skags stalked towards the two men, favoring Jack who was nearer the bag of flesh. Backing further away from the encroaching beasts, Jack’s foot bumped back into one of the bags. Glancing down at what he had stepped on gave one of the skags an opening and it pounced at the older man. Seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye, Jack let out a startled yelp and fired, killing the beast as its body fell at him.

Rhys gave a similarly startled yell, flinching as the creature lunged at Jack. He stood frozen until the other creature moved, following the lead of the other and making a move for Jack. Rhys practically screamed, moving before it even registered that he was swinging the shovel down on the beast’s head with a sickening crunch before it could reach Jack.

Falling back over the bags as the skag’s body fell on top of him, Jack cursed and pushed it off of himself. He breathed in sharply when he saw the other skag lunge for him, blinking in surprise when he saw Rhys crunch its skull with the shovel. He had no time to relax, however, as a third skag crouched and prepared to leap at the younger man. Quickly aiming and firing his gun, it dropped into the dirt. Rhys nearly jumped out of his skin as Jack fired past him, spinning around to see the fallen skag that had snuck up on him. Standing back up, Jack moves over to Rhys quickly, his eyes not leaving the remaining skags that emerged from the brush. Rhys whined loudly and backed up towards Jack, pressing against his side as he clutched the gorey shovel.

“You alright?”

“N-no!” Rhys whimpered, shaking his head as he stared at the skags in horror. “I will be when we get home!”

“I know…” Getting an idea as he stared at the skags, Jack let a smile stretch onto his lips. “So I know you really, really like that hole you dug, but I think I’ve got a better idea for getting rid of that body. You ready to run kiddo?”

“Run-?” Rhys repeated, his thoughts dulled by the terror racing around his skull. Running from a bunch of wild animals didn’t seem like something Jack would do, why would he j-oh. Oh. Rhys grimaced, groaning softly as his stomach turned at the thought. “R-right. Okay.”

“Alright, good. Now I want you to run to the car and get in. Don’t get out for anything.”

At this, Jack ran back to where the bags were and, knowing he was drawing the skags’ attention, let out a laugh out of exertion and slight fear. This plan could very well get him killed. If those skags didn’t go for the body, he would die. Especially if the younger man followed his directions exactly.

Rhys flinched when Jack ran in the opposite direction, faltering visibly. Somehow, Jack felt safer than the protection the car would provide. Rhys took a few stumbling steps backwards toward the direction of the vehicle, watching Jack and the skags closing in on him.

As the skags began to circle around him, Jack tried to keep track of them. There were a few more than he had expected, but that shouldn’t be a problem. They were just skags after all and skags had just a few sharp teeth. Crouching down, he picked up one of the bags. This had to work. Timing it so that one of the skags was close enough, Jack flung the back at it and with a fluid motion, raised his gun and fired at the bag, tearing it open.

The sound of the gunshot made Rhys flinch again, though he watched Jack with rapt attention. The man’s plan would work...it had to, or they were both dead. Rhys stood rooted to the spot, shovel in hands as Jack drenched one of the beasts in gore. Watching as the other skags turned towards the flesh covered creature made Jack relax slightly. At least now they had time to get away. Backing away from the grizzly scene, Jack made sure he was a good distance away before turning to return to the car. Seeing Rhys, Jack frowned.

“Rhys? What in the hell are you st-” The older man’s disgruntled words were cut short as a ball of acidic spit hit him on the upper back.

Rhys screamed at the sight of the hideous creature behind the other man. He was frozen for several seconds before he lurched forward, sprinting towards Jack’s side.

The acid burned into the exposed skin of his forearms and some of the skin on the back of his neck. A pained yell escaped from Jack’s lips and he turned to face the beast encroaching upon him. Raising his gun, his arm trembled as a result of the agonizing pain he was in.

“STAY BACK!” he shouted at Rhys, firing into the spitter skag’s open mouth multiple times. Rhys was already at Jack’s side, gripping the man’s free arm as he watched Jack fire. His pulling made one of Jack’s shots stray to the side, hitting the skag in the eye and yielding a pained snarl from the beast.

“Back to the car-!” Rhys whined loudly, staring in horror at the massive skag before them. He kept the shovel gripped in one hand, clutching it tightly as he tried to pull Jack away. His adrenaline numbing most of the pain, Jack refused to move.

“It’ll just follow us! Go to the car! I’ll take care of it!”

“Jack, please-!” Rhys pleaded, eyes watering as he spared a glance at the furious creature. His refusing to leave Jack brought something up inside the older man: a protective spirit he thought he’d lost long ago. Adrenaline and pain pushing him forward, Jack shouted at the younger man. “Just go! I’m not going to lose you!” He shoved at Rhys and took a few steps towards the skag. Taking a few more shots at the beast, Jack yelled back as the skag roared at him in pain.

Rhys stumbled and fell backwards, wincing at his impact with the ground. Jack was insane taking on this monster by himself. Rhys whimpered and scrambled back to his feet, picking the shovel up off the ground. He was half tempted to whack Jack with it due to his sheer stupidity.

Jack killed people all the time, why would some badass skag be any different? It would be a bit easier if he’d brought a knife or something, but he didn’t think they would be ambushed by skags--a stupid mistake on his part. He shouldn’t have waited so long to bring the body out. Now everything he was working towards was in jeopardy. He wasn’t going to be beat by this thing though. Hell no. Lunging forward, Jack fully intended to tackle the skag to the ground. He wanted to get close enough so that he could shoot the beast in the heart.

Rhys shrieked, half in fear half in frustration at Jack’s actions. He rushed forward after the other man, cursing as Jack fell to the ground in a heap with the beast as he tackled it. Rhys swore rather creatively, rushing forward and swinging the shovel at the back of the creature’s neck with as much force as he could muster.

Hearing the skag yelp at the contact of the shovel, Jack took the opportunity to locate the beast’s chest and empty the rest of the clip into where he thought the heart would be. The beast’s body spraying blood onto him, Jack panted as he watched the skag fade into a lifeless body.

Rhys stood panting and shaking with the shovel in his hands, staring wide eyed at the animal’s corpse. He took an unsteady breath, the stress from the day finally catching up with him as he turned and retched into the dirt, dropping the shovel and collapsing to his knees as he hugged himself.

“Jeez kiddo,” Jack breathed out in between pants as he stood up. “It’s just a skag. You don’t gotta puke about it.” Now wasn’t the time to tease the younger man, however. Knowing that he was covered in skag acid, the older man had to get home before it started taking effect upon him. Softening up his tone, he places a hand on Rhys’s shoulder to try and bring him back to reality. “C’mon, this isn’t the place or time to freak out. We gotta get home…”

Rhys nodded weakly, grabbing for the shovel as he moved unsteadily to his feet. “R-right,” he murmured. Jack helped the younger man to his feet, ignoring the pain that was burning into his arms and back. It wouldn’t be long now. He had to get Rhys and himself back before it got too bad.

“The car’s this way,” he muttered, leading Rhys towards the parked vehicle.

“Mmhm--” Rhys stumbled somewhat in getting to his feet, clutching the implement in his hand, unsure if he should leave it or throw it in the trunk. It was rather disgusting now… He followed after Jack, dazed and unsteady on his feet as he followed him back to the car. Arriving back at the vehicle, Jack could already feel his head spinning. The toxin was already have an effect; he just couldn’t wait for the horrible pains to set in.

“Just put it in the trunk,” Jack murmured, digging his keys out of his pocket and popping the trunk, making his way to the driver’s side door and flopping into the seat, wincing when the leather pressed against his burns. Rhys blinked and gave a sharp nod, tossing the gorey shovel inside and slamming the trunk shut before circling around to the passenger’s side and slipping into the car, eyeing Jack nervously.

“A-are you sure you can drive?”

“And let you drive?” Jack gave Rhys a wavering smile. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it Rhysie. I’ll be fine.”

Given the older man’s current state, Rhys decided not to be offended at the possible implications of Jack’s statement. He cringed sympathetically as he looked at what he could see of Jack’s back. It wasn’t looking good, that was for sure. The man needed serious medical attention, but somehow Rhys thought that Jack wouldn’t take the suggestion very well.

Breathing out a soft huff, Jack turned the key and brought the car to life once again. Pulling out of the lot, Jack drove back into the city and towards the house at a much higher speed than he’d driven on the way out. Feeling his head starting to get hazy, Jack shook his head every so often to try and clear the feeling from his mind.

Rhys bit his tongue, fighting back the urge to speak up as he watched Jack from the corner of his eye. It took longer than he cared for them to reach the relative safety of their house (Rhys wondered idly when he’d started to think of it as ‘theirs’).

Feeling a cold sweat forming on his skin, Jack opened the window to key in the gate key and pull up the driveway and into the spacious garage, parking the car and letting his head droop down a moment as he focused on staying awake. Rhys waited until the ignition was cut before he spoke, one hand resting on the handle of the car door.

“Shouldn’t you go to a hospital? I don’t-..don’t know how to treat something like this.”

Hearing Rhys’s voice in his ear the older man responded, clearly exhausted and not quite lifting his gaze to the younger man’s. “There’s a salve….in the bathroom. It’s for these kinda things.” He felt like he was going to be sick all over the inside of his car. He had to get inside, but he didn’t want to move. Not while the world was spinning over his head.

“Which bathroom?” Rhys inquired, shaking his head slowly as he climbed out of the car and circled around, opening Jack’s door gently and leaning down to take the man’s arm. Jack flinched at Rhys’s touch but didn’t move away from the younger man.

“It’s in the...My bathroom. The big one.” It was starting to get hard to think as well; this was looking bad. “Get the...the pills too.”

“C’mon. I can’t carry you Jack.” Rhys didn’t have to ask to know which pills Jack meant. They were probably in the master bathroom as well. He tugged lightly on Jack’s arm, leaning into the car and awkwardly hugging Jack to try and pull him free of the vehicle.

“Can’t do anything if you don’t at least get inside, Jack. Please?”

At the touch of Rhys’s arm to his burnt skin Jack growled in pain, jolting away from the younger man. Ignoring the feeling of lightheadedness, he pushed at Rhys in an attempt to get out of the car.

“Move! Stop touching me!”

Rhys jumped back, fear evident on his features as Jack snapped at him. “I’m sorry-!” he squeaked, biting and worrying at his lip as he scrambled away from the injured man. “I-I’ll go...get the salve,” he muttered, frowning dejectedly as he turned to hurry from the garage.

“Good… Good. And be sure to hurry,” Jack called after Rhys as he slammed the car door shut. Walking after the younger man back into the house, Jack dragged his feet as he struggled to keep from stumbling in his dizzy and pained state. Finally making it into the house, he accidentally leaned all of his weight onto the door and it slammed into the wall with a crash.

“Shit-!” Jack hissed as he stumbled away from the door, towards the living room and the couch, collapsing onto it. The world spun around him as he laid on the couch. Unfortunately for Jack, the pain flared up in his back and arms. The acid burned into his skin and radiated through to ache and burn at his muscles. It slowly escalated and felt as if it were burning straight through his bones and the older man struggled to keep his thoughts focused.

Rhys practically sprinted up the stairs to get to the top floor where Jack’s bedroom laid, rushing through the disheveled room and into the master bathroom he’d been in earlier, ignoring his blood stained clothing still piled on the floor. It took a few moments of rummaging through the cupboards before he found both the salve and pills, clutching them in his hands and rushing back downstairs where Jack lie in pain on the sofa.

“Should--..d-do you need to rinse it off first or something?” he asked timidly, kneeling beside the sofa with both containers in hand.

When Rhys spoke to him, Jack groaned in response.

“I dunno if I can make it to the bathroom… World’s spinning and… and I can’t think right…”

Rhys was positive he couldn’t get Jack to even the nearest bathroom on his own, so for now the salve would have to do. He swallowed thickly, setting the pill bottle aside for a moment before reconsidering. He popped the bottle open then deposited one of the pills into his hand, offering it out to Jack.

“It’s only going to hurt worse when I start putting the salve on, so here. Take this first.”

Jack offered Rhys a weak smile before willing himself to overcome the pain and lift his arm to take the pill from Rhys. “Good idea…” Slipping it into his mouth and swallowing it, Jack relaxed back onto the couch. He was well aware of what was going to happen to him next. “Be sure to take care of me Rhys. I’m trusting you.”

“Mmhm.” Rhys nodded firmly, unscrewing the lid to the salve and coating the fingers of his left hand in the cool substance. He carefully pulled away the tatters of Jack’s shirt, fully exposing the raw skin underneath and Rhys winced at the sight. Reaching forward, he spread the medicinal substance across Jack’s injured skin as gently as possible, generously coating every inch of burnt skin he could see.

Jack wanted to write and get away from the invading touch. He made himself stay still, however, the pain showing through his expression and tensed muscles. He knew that he had to wait for the pill to take effect. It would all go away and give way to whatever state his mind would be in as a result of his injury and the drug. After some time, Jack felt the pain fading. His muscles relaxed and he laid where he was, enjoying the soothing touch of the salve in his semi-conscious state.

Rhys hummed softly as he worked, doing his best to spread the substance quickly across Jack’s wounds so as not to cause him any unnecessary distress. Finally sure he’d covered every bit of Jack’s back and arms, Rhys sat back on his heels with a huff, screwing the lid back on what remained of the salve.

“That should do it,” he murmured, glancing at Jack’s calmed expression and chancing a small smile of his own. “Feeling better?”

Jack’s thoughts clouded over quickly as he laid on the couch. The drug was making him feel euphoric and the salve was starting to feel extremely good on his wounds. Hearing Rhys and seeing his smile, Jack smiled back, the expression a bit more giddy than intended. Jack noted to himself that the smile suited the other man’s lips. The younger man was so much more attractive like that.

“Oh yeah… You’ve got a magical touch Rhysie. Did ya know that?”

A faint blush colored Rhys’s cheeks and he rolled his eyes, moving to his feet and setting both containers on the nearby coffee table.

“You just have good drugs,” Rhys muttered, shaking his head and moving to step into the kitchen and wash his hands, quickly returning to sit on the floor beside Jack. A soft whine escaped from Jack’s throat when Rhys disappeared from his sight. He liked looking upon his housemate. The younger man brought something back into his life.

“Drugs only do so much Rhysie,” Jack chimed back, his smile coming back to his lips. “I told you that you’re special. Why don’t you believe me?”

“I’ve never been special, I don’t see why now should be any different,” he replied, shrugging lightly and leaning against the edge of the sofa. Rhys rubbed at his cheeks, hoping to scrub away the color that was there.

“Whaaaaaat?” Jack whined back in disbelief over what he was being told. “Rhysie please. You are special. I know you are.” He tried to move but only managed to wiggle a bit in his spot on the couch. “I’m never wrong about this kind of thing. Trust me on this.”

Rhys laughed softly at Jack’s attempt to move, reaching out hesitantly to smooth the man’s hair back.

“Alright. I won’t argue with you while you’re high.”

Jack pouted at that, his eyes falling half lidded at the gentle touch. “Noooo, no, we’re gonna argue now. I want you to believe me cause I’m riiiiight.”

“Just go to sleep… I can only imagine the pain you’re going to be in later,” Rhys murmured, letting his fingers stray down to lightly trace the edge of Jack’s scar.

“I don’t wanna though…” Jack smiled despite the touch to his scar. “I don’t wanna sleep and miss looking at your pretty face.”

Rhys blinked, his fingers faltering in their path. Jack was just high, saying things. They didn’t mean anything. Rhys shook his head, pulling his hand away. “Don’t be silly.”

The smile remained on Jack’s lips, his tone still airy and happy. “I’m not being silly. I really do like your face. Your face makes me happy. I really, really like it Rhysie.”

Rhys flushed darkly, studying Jack’s expression for any form of teasing or mocking. “I-.. Thank you, I guess..?”

Jack chuckled at the unsure response to his odd flirting. “You’re welcome Rhysie. I mean...your face isn’t the only thing I like about you, but y’know. Your face is one of my favorites.”

Rhys rolled his eyes heavily, carding his fingers through his own hair. Whatever Jack was doing, it was...strange.

“Thank you,” he murmured unsurely.

“You’re welcome pumpkin,” Jack cooed, his words a bit slurred. His vision was slightly blurred, but he could still see the blush on the younger man’s face. It was fantastic to see that he could cause someone to blush after so much time.

“What’s the matter?” Jack grinned. “Why’re you so nervous?”

Rhys shook his head lightly, closing his eyes and breathing slowly. “I’m not nervous. You’re just..being weird,” he replied, shrugging weakly and turning away from the older man, pressing his back against the side of the couch. He pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them loosely as he stared at the far wall.

“Mmmmmm…” Jack hummed out, dissatisfied as he wiggled closer to the back of Rhys’s neck. A little bit of a smirk on his lips, he nuzzled at the younger man’s exposed neck. “C’mooooon. You can’t ignore me like this. Loosen up kiddo.”

Rhys jolted visibly, his body tensing as Jack touched him.

“You’re high, Jack. I can ignore you if I want.” He bit down on his lip, shaking his head. Rhys made no move to get away, though, holding very still aside from a few stray shivers.

“No, you caaaan’t.” Jack drew out his words as he breathed out warmly against Rhys’s neck. “C’mon. Make me feel better. I know you can...and to your benefit, you’ll be the only one to remember. It’ll be your little seeeeecret~”

“Jack you’re seriously hurt,” Rhys whined, rolling his eyes heavily as the man behind him complained. “And bullshit, you’ll remember,” he grumbled, shifting and hugging his knees tighter.

Jack frowned and stopped nuzzling against the younger man’s neck. “Nooooo I won’t. I never remember anything when I get like this. Especially when I’m this high.” Continuing his nuzzling, the older man whines. “But c’mooooon Rhysie. Gimme at least a little bit of something to help forget the pain.”

“Cut it out,” Rhys groaned, dragging a hand down his face and shaking his head again, clearing the haze that seemed to have settled on him. He glanced at the pill bottle on the table, considering them. Rhys huffed out a sigh, turning to look at Jack over his shoulder. “You’re seriously hurt,” he repeated, shifting and turning slightly to face Jack more comfortably. “I don’t see what you want me to do.”

Even in his drugged state, Jack could still manage to look intimidating. His brow furrowing to show his frustration, he frowns at the younger man. His voice, while he tried to sharpen his tone, still held the levity of his drug induced high. “Oh come on. And here I thought you were creative. Think about it Rhysie. What can you possibly do for someone that just  _ saved _ you from being killed by skags?”

Rhys wanted to point out that it was Jack’s fault they had been out there at all, but he held his tongue. He frowned back, huffing and shifting uncomfortably on the floor.

“What, do you want a kiss Mister Hero?” he asked mockingly, arching an eyebrow.

Jack really, really liked that suggestion. A grin quickly replacing his frown, he perks up. “Well if you’re offering, that’s  _ exactly _ what I want. You can even slip me a little something extra if you feel up to it.” At this he starts chuckling at his own dumb innuendo.

Rhys blinked, flushing darkly at Jack’s reply. Well that had backfired tremendously. He whined softly, his displeasure evident as he shifted further, sitting on his knees facing Jack. He huffed out a sigh, already regretting his actions before he ducked forward quickly, tilting his head and pressing a soft kiss to Jack’s lips. The older man really wasn’t expecting Rhys to comply with his joke of a request.  His brows raising as Rhys leaned in closer to him, Jack’s eyes fluttered closed when Rhys kissed him. Returning the kiss with a weak press into it, the older man smiled against Rhys’s lips. Rhys didn’t maintain the contact long, pulling back with a jolt when he felt Jack lean forward.

“Th-there,” he stammered, cheeks flushing darkly as he quickly looked away.

The giddy smile still on his lips, Jack keeps his gaze on Rhys. His tone was sing-song and relaxed as he chimed, “That wasn’t so bad! It was a little short for my liking, but it was sweet. Thank you Rhysie!”

Rhys frowned, his cheeks still a brilliant shade of red as he backed away, moving to his feet carefully. “I--I’m going to shower,” he stuttered, carefully avoiding eye contact with the man sprawled on the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

Jack huffed out a sigh and relaxed into the cushions of the couch. He would be glad later to not remember any of this. He never liked looking so much weaker than he liked to project himself to be. “Fiiiiine. You better hurry back though. It’s your job to watch over me, y’know.”

Rhys gave a quick nod before hurrying up the stairs, grabbing a clean change of clothes from his room before heading to the nearest bathroom. He couldn’t shake the embarrassment he felt over kissing the other man, nor the guilt he felt for not entirely hating the action. He should’ve hated it, but he couldn’t find it in himself to do so. Rhys dried and dressed after a quick shower, cleaning the mud and dirt from his hair and skin. He hurried back downstairs, carefully slipping back into place on the sofa beside Jack.

While waiting for the younger man, Jack let his eyes slip closed and let himself doze off. Coming to when he heard footsteps thumping down the stairs, Jack’s heart rate started to quicken. In his dazed state he thought someone besides Rhys was in the house. Seeing the younger man come back to his place in front of the couch, Jack questions him, his tone of voice a bit unsure.

“Is there someone else here?”

Rhys blinked, frowning at Jack’s question. He glanced at the front door, shaking his head. “No, not unless you let them in… I can’t open the doors, Jack.”

“Oh,” Jack breathed out in a relieved sigh. “Right...right. You’re right.” The dopey smile returned to his lips. “See? You are helpful to me. I was about to tear up the house looking for whoever was in here with me. You saved me a lot of trouble kiddo.”

“It was just me.” Rhys rolled his eyes, considering his spot on the floor before moving up onto the spacious couch beside Jack’s head. He extended a hand hesitantly, stroking his fingers through Jack’s hair.

“Y’know,” Jack began, soothed by the touch of Rhys’s fingers carding through his hair. “Any other time I probably wouldn’t be letting you talk to me like this. Y’know what I mean, like you’re my boyfriend or whatever.” He wiggled closer in his spot on the couch toward Rhys’s leg. “But right now I don’t mind it that much…”   


Rhys froze, sputtering and jerking his hand back as he looked down at Jack with something akin to horror. Had he really just said ‘boyfriend’? Rhys frowned, shaking his head. “Y-you were mad at me for not talking. What’s wrong with this…?”

In his position on the couch, Jack couldn’t see Rhys’s reaction to his comment. Instead he heard the change in the younger man’s tone and a smile stretched onto his lips.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just messing with you kitten. Relax a little, mmkay? You’re starting to stress me out.”

“Do you want me to just leave the room?” he asked quietly, glancing down at Jack as his fingers resumed their toying with the older man’s hair.

Jack scoffed and nuzzled against Rhys’s leg. “Don’t be so dramatic. That’s no way to treat your hero.” The soft touches to his hair soothing him, the older man smiled. “This petting is nice though. You can keep doing that.”

Rhys chuckled softly, a slight grin spreading onto his lips as he played with Jack’s hair. He gradually relaxed into the silence again, almost enjoying the strange calm that had settled over them. Relaxing as well, Jack closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! The both of us are in uni and it's eating up a looooot of time, so I (Rhys) haven't been able to edit much and boy was this chapter a long one, spanning almost 17 full pages in Google Docs @____@ I sure hope it was worth the wait! Enjoy!
> 
> \-----
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!


	12. Relax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: [Addicted To Love by Until The Ribbon Breaks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntmLoNQnzLE)

The energy in the room remained peaceful until Jack began to stir. The drug having worn off during his slumber, the CEO groaned in pain on the couch beside Rhys. The younger man had let his head fall back against the back cushion, drifting off along with Jack for a while. He blinked slowly, groaning as he stretched his arms and legs out, popping his neck before he looked down at Jack, frowning slightly as he pressed the back of his hand to Jack’s cheek. The touch set off a reaction in the older man, a yelp slipping from between Jack’s lips as he turned his face away from Rhys’s hand. Jack mumbled inaudibly in his sleep as he struggled with a pain fueled nightmare. His hands grasped at whatever he could reach as another pained groan replaced his grumbled words.

Rhys flinched and pulled his hand away, blinking down at the older man. “J-Jack? Jack--” He grasped the man’s shoulder gently, giving him a light shake as he looked on with growing concern.

“N-no..” Jack mumbled as he tried to pull from the younger man’s touch. “Take me…” His tone turned pained, stress seeping into his words as a whimper escaped from his lips. “P-please…”

Rhys frowned, gripping Jack’s shoulder more firmly. “Jack. Wake up,” he called out, his expression turning to something more worried as he strained to try and make out something--anything that Jack was saying. Gasping sharply, Jack nearly jumped off the couch as he woke up.

“ANGEL!” the CEO cried out, immediately gasping in pain and collapsing back to the couch, the movement having irritated his wounds. Rhys jolted back, jerking his hands away from Jack and scooting back on the couch, blinking in surprise.

“Jack! Are you alright-?”

His head falling back down on the cushion, Jack arched his back slightly as his muscles tensed in an attempt to shy away from the pain. A few wheezes of breath escaped from him and he whined a response to Rhys. “Back… M-my back…

Rhys slipped off the couch, sitting himself on the floor in front of Jack again. He grabbed the salve off the table and coated his fingers in the substance, shushing Jack softly as he moved to smear it over the CEO’s back again to soothe the irritated skin. His touch surprised the older man at first and Jack let out a grunt of pain. After a few minutes, Jack relaxed back down onto the couch. His breathing haggard, he looked at Rhys with half lidded eyes as exhaustion washed over him once again.

“Th-thanks kiddo…”

“Mhm,” Rhys hummed out in response, nodding slowly as he worked the substance into Jack’s skin to soothe the injury. “Do you want to go to your room? I can help you up the stairs.”

“I dunno,” Jack breathed out, considering the potential trip up the stairs. In his slightly more conscious state he was realizing how filthy he was...and he was getting that filth all over his expensive couch. After a moment of silence, he breathed out again. “I can’t just lie here in this filth. I need to shower or else these wounds will get infected.” Sighing, he shifted to try and move. “Sure, yeah, let’s go upstairs…”

Rhys nodded, closing the jar of salve and setting it back on the table. He wiped his hand thoughtlessly on his pant leg, moving to his feet and gently taking Jack’s arm. The CEO’s movements were slow, but he finally sat himself upright. Exhaling softly, he shifted to stand with Rhys’s aid. The younger man helped to steady Jack as the man stood, grabbing and pocketing the salve before gently easing Jack around the couch and towards the staircase. Their progress was almost painfully slow and every so often during their trek Jack would groan in pain, making Rhys pause. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally made it through Jack’s bedroom and into the spacious bathroom on the other side. Covered in a cold sweat, Jack indicated the edge of the tub to sit down.

“There.”

Rhys assisted Jack to the tub, easing him down until he was settled. Rhys took the small jar from his pocket and set it on the bathroom counter.

“You good now? Do I need to get anything…?”

Shaking his head, Jack panted out a couple of breaths. “I don’t think so… I… I think I can make it to the shower…”

“Are you sure?” Rhys fussed, biting his lip as he watched Jack struggle. “I-..I can sit right outside in the bedroom, in case you need something?”

“No...No.” Jack attempted to wave Rhys off with a weak move of his hand. “I don’t wanna bother you anymore. You must be so tired.”

Rhys was exhausted, loathe as he was to admit it. He didn’t want Jack to just brush him off, though. After the day they’d had, Rhys was reluctant to leave the other man’s side.

“I-I don’t mind,” he stammered, wringing his hands anxiously as he glanced down at his feet. Jack smirked, a bit of his snarkiness returning to him.

“You must really wanna see me shower kiddo,” he chuckled weakly, shaking his head. Rhys sputtered and frowned at Jack, opening his mouth to retort before the other man cut him off. “I’m kidding. Don’t give me that indignant look. It’s really just gonna be me taking the most painful shower ever.”

“I can at least wait and put more of the salve on before I go back downstairs for the night.”

Hearing Rhys speak about returning to his own room made Jack wince. Perhaps it was the drug still having its effect, but he didn’t want the younger man to leave him be.

“Not sure if that would be a good idea kiddo.” Jack drew in a breath as he sat up and looked up at Rhys. “I mean, I was planning on taking another pill to relax.”

Rhys blinked, caught off guard by Jack’s response.

“I left them downstairs. I’ll go grab them while you’re in the shower,” he replied, still toying nervously with his fingers. Jack nodded, satisfied with the younger man’s response.

“Sure. But hurry back.” Getting to his feet, Jack smiled. “And don’t worry about me, mmkay Rhysie? I’ve been through worse than this. I mean, obviously right?” He gestured to his scarred face with a soft chuckle. Rolling his eyes, Rhys nodded quickly and moved to step out of the bathroom, pausing in the doorway.

“I’ll be right back.”

As Rhys hurried out of the room and down the stairs, Jack sighed and let his shoulders slump forward. Keeping his posture with his burns hurt like hell. Closing the bathroom door, he quickly removed what remained of his clothes before stepping into the shower. Downstairs, Rhys grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before retrieving the painkillers and the foreign drug off the table where he’d left them. Returning to Jack’s room, he set the water and both pill bottles on the bedside table before taking a seat on the edge of the mattress.

Taking a sharp breath, Jack turned the shower on its most gentle pressure setting. The water hitting his wounded skin, he let out a pained noise and jumped out of the stream for a moment, but, with effort, he kept his back under long enough to get clean. Cleansed of all the blood and grime, Jack turned off the shower. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, stepping out of the bathroom to see Rhys waiting for him on the bed. Immediately straightening his posture with only a slight wince, Jack forced a smile.

“Oh, you’re back already.”

“It doesn’t take long to grab a bottle,” Rhys snarked, grinning faintly until he saw the look of pain that flashed across Jack’s face. A frown crossed Rhys’s features. “Stop doing that, it can’t be good for your back.”

Jack raised a brow at Rhys’s frown, trying to play off the stinging he was feeling in his strained, exposed skin. “Doing what? What’re you talking about?”

“Standing like that. You must be scrunching up the skin and that has to hurt.” Rhys sighed heavily, standing up and moving past Jack to retrieve the salve from the bathroom counter. “The pills are on your nightstand. Let me know when you want more of this goop on your back.”

Jack blinked in surprise, watching as Rhys treated him as if he weren’t a threat. He felt brushed off--dismissed--and that did not sit right with him.

“ _ Hey _ .” The older man sharpened his tone as the younger man walked past him. “ _ Don’t  _ talk to me like that. Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

Rhys froze at the counter, the jar in his hands as he stared at the sink. He shrank back slightly, exhaling unsteadily as he set the salve back down. He murmured a soft apology, standing in place as he waited for Jack to speak again. He supposed he had forgotten, with all the chaos the day had held, just who Jack was to him. They weren’t friends. Rhys was as much Jack’s prisoner now as he had been when he’d first been dragged back to the house.

Narrowing his gaze at the younger man’s back, Jack tightened his hands into fists at his sides. His voice coming out as an irritated growl, he barks out, “Face me and say that apology again. I want to know that you mean it.”

Rhys bit his lip, clenching his hands and squeezing his eyes shut tight before he turned slowly, blinking with watery eyes as he stared at Jack’s collarbone. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

Jack watched Rhys carefully as the younger man turned to face him. Seeing the younger man’s gaze fall below his own face only made him that much angrier. Ignoring the dizziness that was beginning to plague him, he snarled, “Look me in the eye.”

Rhys jumped slightly, his breath hitching as he dragged his eyes up to Jack’s face, trembling somewhat as he tried to lock eyes with the angry man. After allowing the younger man to struggle for a few moments, Jack growled.

“What’s the matter? My face too hideous for you to look at?” Gritting his teeth, he raised his voice and tried to ignore the increasing lightheadedness and the escalating pain in his tensed back. “Look me in the eye and apologize. Now.”

Rhys whimpered, stuttering out an apology for the third time as he looked at Jack, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. Any desire he’d had to stay close to the other man had vanished, replaced with a familiar terror and urge to run. Jack may have saved him from the skags but that was as far as the man’s kindness extended. Rhys could’ve kicked himself for being stupid enough to think otherwise.

Keeping up an angry front was beginning to take its toll on the older man in his current condition. He could feel the cold sweat beginning to break out onto his skin once again as he observed Rhys’s nerve wracked state. Breathing out a sight, Jack relaxed slightly as Rhys apologized.

“Good. See? That wasn’t so hard.” Waving deftly at the younger man, he changed his gritted expression of anger to one of exhaustion as his body tilted back slightly, threatening to fall backwards. “Relax Rhysie. I wasn’t that mad at ya. I just didn’t like the way you were talking to me is all…”

Rhys’s lower lip trembled as he gave a jolting nod, sniffling as he turned and retrieved the salve off the counter and waited for Jack’s instructions. Letting himself fall back to sit on the bed, Jack waved Rhys over.

“C’mere. I need some of that stuff and a pain pill. My back’s killing me.”

Rhys nodded again, stepping over to Jack’s side and unscrewing the lid on the jar. Rhys gave a jolting movement, motioning to the water and pills bottles sitting beside the bed.

“Brought you some water, too,” he murmured, waiting for Jack to settle on the bed so he could apply the salve. Watching Rhys’s jolting motions, Jack breathed out a sigh.

“Kiddo, relax. You’re safe…” He really couldn’t see the error in what he’d just done. He needed to maintain respect. Perhaps yelling and getting angry weren’t the best choices, but Jack was much too tired and stressed to think of a better solution at the moment.

“Thank you for the water though. It was thoughtful of you,” he replied in a tired tone as he offered Rhys a weak smile. Rhys took a stuttering breath, attempting to relax though he didn’t succeed much. He fidgeted with the jar in his hands and sat down hesitantly on the edge of the bed, reaching across Jack to grab both pill bottles and deposit them in the CEO’s hands. Taking the bottles from Rhys, Jack let out a heavy sigh and relaxed more.

“Thank you kiddo.” He popped one of each pill into his mouth and, with a swig of water, swallowed them in a single gulp.

“Do you mind putting some more of the salve on my back? I think I might be passing out here soon.”

Rhys nodded, uttering a soft ‘mhm’ as confirmation as he unscrewed the jar, waiting for Jack to settle himself on the bed. He tried to calm down, reminding himself that a warm bed awaited him as soon as he’d finished with Jack’s requests.

Lying down on his stomach, Jack breathed out softly. His exhaustion taking hold, he quickly felt his thoughts becoming hazy once again.

“Y’know kiddo, I ought to tell you something again…”

Rhys smoothed the salve gingerly across Jack’s burnt skin, glancing up when the man spoke to him. “W-what?” he stammered, tensing slightly as his movements paused.

“You need to relax around me… I know I say some awful things, but I speak truthfully through actions. I’m keeping you around Rhysie. Think about it.”

Rhys blinked slowly, swallowing around a lump in his throat as he resumed rubbing soothing circles across the burnt skin. He supposed there was something to be said about the fact Jack hadn’t killed him yet, he just hadn’t thought about it. He still didn’t fully understand Jack’s reasoning beyond the man’s cryptic insistence that Rhys had some sort of potential, that he was  _ special _ . He didn’t think he had the potential to be much at all, let along what Jack was. But if it kept him alive, he’d have to try.

“Did you hear me Rhys?” Jack shifted under the younger man’s gentle touch. “I can’t see you from where I am so I need a bit of verbal confirmation.” He knew he was pushing Rhys a bit mentally by making him speak, but he considered that a non-issue. The older man felt that addressing this was much more important.

Rhys swallowed again and nodded, smearing the salve across all of Jack’s injured skin.

“I heard you,” he replied softly, finally screwing the lid back onto the jar. “Do you want me to go now?”

With a gentle nod, Jack let himself relax into the comfort of his cushy bed. “Yeah… Just make sure I’m alive to wake up in the morning. Have a good night darling…”

Rhys faltered, taking a shaky breath as he stood carefully. He set the salve down beside the bed and washed his hands quickly in the bathroom before he slipped from Jack’s room, returning to his own to change and tuck into bed. He thought about the pet name, blushing the tugging the blankets up over his cheeks. Rhys had to remind himself that it didn’t meant anything. Jack didn’t care about him like that, there was no use reading into it. With a  soft sniffle Rhys curled up on his side, shutting his eyes and drifting into an uneasy sleep.

 

* * *

 

It took a little over two weeks for Jack to return to his usual self. He wasn’t completely healed and probably wouldn’t be for another several weeks, but Rhys was reluctant to bring up the subject of proper medical care. Jack didn’t seem fond of hospitals from what Rhys could tell. He did his best to help nurse the man when it was allowed, keeping a careful distance when Jack’s mood soured. Gradually Rhys calmed back into something of a comfortable mindset--the way things had been before their incident in the desert. He was still quieter than usual, having been on edge for as long as he had been. The stress took its toll on him and as a result he slept and spoke less, though he did reply when Jack addressed him.

Through his healing, Jack slept much more and was rarely present outside of the home. To his benefit, however, the CEO was able to work from home, telecommuting the necessary work for each day. The burns took a toll on the older man. Having covered a large portion of his back, the burns heavily weakened Jack. He tried not to show it much though. He needed to keep a strong façade for Rhys. The younger man needed to be convinced of his unyielding strength. Luckily, the wounds were mostly healed after a short amount of time. They left scars, but the radiating pain left and Jack was able to function normally again. Things could get back on schedule.

Rhys had curled himself up on one of the large couches, wrapped up in the comforter he’d taken from his own bed as he leaned against the armrest, dozing in the blissful calm the room supplied. Walking downstairs after a short nap, Jack walked into the room to see Rhys on the couch. A smile stretching onto his lips, the older man wordlessly walked to the couch and sat on the other end. The slight disturbance in weight caused Rhys to stir, groaning softly as he blinked and lifted his head from the arm of the couch. He stifled a yawn, wrapping himself more tightly in the blanket as he glanced over to Jack.

“Hey,” he murmured, slipping a hand free of the comforter to rub at his eyes.

“Hey kiddo,” Jack chimed back in a cheerful tone as he met Rhys’s gaze. “I didn’t wake you, did I?” the older man asked as he relaxed back into the couch cushions.

“Mmh no,” Rhys muttered, stifling a yawn as he sat up, carding his fingers through his hair.

“Oh good!” Jack crossed a leg across his thigh, feeling a pang of confidence at feeling no pain from his back’s contact with the cushion. “How are you feeling? Did you have a good nap?” The older man was feeling a high of positive energy. He figured he might as well be kind to the younger man who had so diligently taken care of him.

“I’m fine,” Rhys responded, chancing a small smile as he sat up, fixing Jack with a quizzical look. “How’s your back?”

Jack grinned in response to Rhys’s question. “Fantastic. It doesn’t hurt at all.” He stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. “I think I’ll be ready to go back to work in no time.”

“That’s good,” Rhys muttered, trying to hide his frown. The thought of being in the house alone was, as always, slightly unsettling. It was a large building and Rhys dreaded being left alone. Noticing the change in Rhys’s demeanor, Jack raised a brow.

“What’s the matter? I thought that would be good news.”

“I-” Rhys blinked, tugging the blankets up around his cheeks and over his nose to hide the color that had risen to his cheeks. “Nothing. It is. I just--it’s a big house to be alone in…”

“You don’t want to be alone?” Jack questioned as he followed Rhys’s train of thought. He already had plans in mind for this occasion, but he wanted to hear what the younger man had on his mind. Rhys shook his head in confirmation to Jack’s statement, hiding his face in the comforter.

“I-...don’t like being alone.”

Jack couldn’t help but frown at the reaction he got from the younger man. His plan to make the other reliant upon him had worked, perhaps a bit too well. Breathing out a soft sigh, Jack rose from his place on the couch and moved closer to Rhys.

“You don’t have to be alone Rhys. I could always take you with me.”   
  
“I don’t want to bother you, just--just forget what I said,” Rhys whined, burying his face in embarrassment as a blush burned across his cheeks.

“No no. It’s not a bother to me Rhysie. I really won’t mind at all. In fact, I want you to come with me.”

Rhys glanced upwards, meeting Jack’s mismatched eyes, searching them carefully. “You’re sure?”

The smile returning to his lips, Jack nodded. “I’m positive.”

A feeling of relief washed over Rhys, reflected in his tired features as he gave a small smile in return. He was...happy, in a strange way. He felt warm and comfortable in Jack’s presence again, sensations that some part of him still knew weren’t to be trusted, but he pushed the small voice to the back of his mind.

“Good!” Jack chimed as he relaxed back into the couch again. “Don’t you worry, okay kiddo? You’re gonna have a lot of fun going to work with me. I think you’ll learn a lot too.”

Rhys chuckled softly, nodding and shifting nearer to Jack. “Learn, huh? Like what?”

“Well,” Jack drew out his word with a breath. “Things like what it means to do my job. What it feels like. Y’know, the real side to what I do.”

Rhys fidgeted nervously, tilting his head to the side somewhat. “Should be interesting, then.”

“Mmhm!” Jack hummed as he stretched his arms out along the back of the couch again. “I think you’ll really like it. You just gotta trust me on this, alright?”

Trust. Rhys figured he didn’t have much option but to trust Jack, but maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. He’d been left without any options other than to just go with what the man had to say and do. What Rhys wanted to do, though, was curl up at Jack’s side and fall back asleep. The thought made his cheeks grow warm in embarrassment and his brow furrowed slightly.

The change in Rhys’s facial expression puzzled Jack for a moment. He was still learning to read the younger man’s changes in mood.

“Now what’s that look for? I’d say it’s a really easy task.”

Rhys blinked, glancing back up at Jack and shaking his head. “It’s nothing important,” he replied, chewing his lip thoughtfully.

“Psh. As if I’d believe that,” Jack sneered. “What is it? You know that you don’t gotta hid. I’d rather you  _ not _ try and do that either.”

“I’m not hiding, I’m just...thinking,” Rhys stated, wrinkling his nose slightly. He felt his cheeks heat dramatically again when he opened his mouth to speak, whining softly before he inquired, “What do you remember from the night we got attacked in the desert?”

Jack went to retort about the reddening of Rhys’s face but stopped as he heard the younger man’s question. Now there was something he wasn’t expecting to be asked. Things from that night were very hazy, yes, but he did like to think that he could remember everything that happened.

His tone slightly pensive as he thought about the night, he begins, “Well, I remember being in a lot of pain and barely making it home. Then I remember laying on the couch for a bit cause I could barely walk...And then there was the painful shower...And then I went to bed. I remember you being there the entire time too… Why do you ask?”

Rhys looked almost disappointed as Jack spoke, nodding slightly as he stretched his legs out in front of himself. “Just curious…”

“Mhmmmm,” Jack hummed as he brought the fingertips of his left hand to his lips with a sly smirk. Closing his eyes and tilting his head back against the couch cushion he coos, “You do have really good bedside manner y’know. Made me feel really comfortable when I was high on pain and pills.”

Rhys blinked, startled when Jack spoke. He couldn’t tell if the man remembered and was screwing with him or not, and which would be worse. He tried to cover the blush on his cheeks as he gave Jack a sideways glance.

“I’m glad you were comfortable,” he murmured.

“Aw, come on darling.” Jack opened an eye and turned his head, looking upon Rhys’s blushing face. “I wouldn’t forget a thing like  _ that _ .”

Rhys started at the pet name, only blushing more fiercely in response as he yelped and pulled the comforter up over his face. Sitting up off the back of the couch, Jack grinned wide.

“There isn’t anything to be ashamed of Rhys. You did as I asked. I am pleased with what you did…” He leaned forward slightly to where the younger man’s hidden face would be. “And I know that you secretly liked it.”

The sudden proximity made Rhys jolt when he looked back up, finding Jack just inches from his face. He swallowed thickly, frowning in what amounted to a sullen pout at Jack’s teasing. The CEO let out a chuckle at Rhys’s expression.

Not moving from his position mere inches away from the younger man, he coos, “Relax Rhysie. You need to be more relaxed around me. I’ve told you this before, haven’t I?”

“You have,” Rhys murmured, blinking slowly as he studied Jack’s features. “I’m trying…”

Jack raised a brow at the younger man once again. “Oh? You are?”

“I am,” he insisted, pouting more deeply. He was afraid of getting too comfortable around JAck, of crossing a line he couldn’t come back from.

The smirk remained on Jack’s lips as he decided to push a little further. “Y’sure about that darling? I mean, I don’t think I believe you…”

Rhys whined softly, grumbling under his breath as he pulled the blanket tightly around himself. “I said I was trying, I didn’t say I was succeeding.”

Jack pouted as his posture deflated a little. “Are you kidding me kiddo? That whiny bullshit isn’t fun at all.”

Rhys scrunched up his nose, huffing and daring to stick his tongue out at Jack childishly. The CEO raised a brow at the younger man.

“You trying to be cheeky now Rhysie?”

“Maybe,” Rhys groused, reluctantly extracting himself from the blanket and bundling it in his arms. He paused a moment, considering something, before tossing the comforter over Jack’s head. Jack stayed silent for a good couple of moments. He considered scolding the younger man, but he liked this energy from him. After the silence had stretched on another few moments, Jack began to laugh from beneath the blanket.

Rhys’s shoulders dropped with relief, letting loose a breath he’d been holding. He pulled his feet up onto the couch, hugging his knees and grinning sheepishly as a soft laugh bubbled up in his chest.

“Sorry.”

Pushing the comforter off his head, Jack looked to Rhys, the CEO’s hair slightly mussed. “I like this from you kiddo! This energy is so much more fun!”

Rhys had to bite back the urge to reach out and fix Jack’s hair, pulling his hand back to himself as he blushed sheepishly.

“It’s fun, huh?” he asked softly, a hesitant smile creeping across his lips.

“Mhmm,” Jack growled back playfully as he watched the younger man’s movements. A grin stretched onto his lips and he leaned forward slightly. “How about you show me what you got with that fun little energy of yours? Prove yourself to me pumpkin. I dare you.”

Rhys flushed darkly, blinking in surprise at Jack’s words. It was a situation that could potentially end in disaster if Rhys wasn’t careful, and yet...if Jack wanted him to, then what was the harm? He swallowed thickly, shaking his head slightly as he reached forward quickly, catching the other man’s face in both hands and pulling him forward as Rhys leaned in, pressing their lips together in a firm kiss.

Jack almost pulled back when Rhys reached out for his face, but stopped himself to allow the younger man to keep going. Feelings Rhys’s lips against his own, Jack breathed in sharply, taken by surprise. After a moment’s pause, however, he began to relax into the contact and pressed back into the kiss.

Rhys had panicked, terrified Jack would merely shove him away in disgust. He was...pleasantly surprised to get the opposite reaction from the man. Rhys let his hands slip down and behind Jack’s neck, lacing his fingers together. A smile spread onto Jack’s lips and he pressed closer to Rhys, moving his arms to wrap them around the younger man’s midsection.

Rhys couldn’t remember the last time he’d had truly positive physical contact. Jack wasn’t exactly touchy when he wasn’t being violent, and though it had been a while since he’d last lashed out, the memories remained. Rhys shivered, brushing his thumbs over the nape of Jack’s neck before he finally leaned back a fraction, breathing deeply.

As his hands moved along Rhys’s lower back, Jack’s gaze wandered down as his thoughts wandered as well. His mind went back to a place it had last been many years ago: a tender place where the serial killer didn’t exist. A solemn smile remained on his lips as he remained in the mindset for the moment and kept Rhys close.

The younger man wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed. Jack certainly hadn’t pushed him away, but that could change in an instant. Rhys leaned in for another kiss, letting his eyes fall shut as he shivered under Jack’s touches. Feeling the younger man’s lips on his brought the man back enough to return the kiss. Pressing in closer to Rhys, Jack showed a hunger for contact he hadn’t felt in so long. It was temporary, but he was enjoying the younger man’s company as someone intimate.

Rhys smiled nervously against Jack’s lips, just as eager for the contact as the other man was. He let his hands slip free from one another and looped his arms around Jack’s shoulders, hugging him close. The touch of the younger man’s arms on his shoulders sent a chill down Jack’s spine as the fabric of his shirt rubbed against the scarred skin beneath. Breathing in sharply as he pulled away from Rhys’s lips, Jack leaned forward and rested his forehead against Rhys’s, allowing his eyes to fall closed as a wave of emotion fell over him.

Rhys blinked, startled by the intimate gesture. A dark blush crept onto his cheeks as he took a shaky breath, smiling sheepishly as he sat in Jack’s embrace. The CEO grasped at the fabric of Rhys’s shirt as he gave way to another shudder. His brows drew together as he kept his eyes shut and breathed out in tensed words.

“I’m sorry…”

A frown crossed Rhys’s lips as Jack spoke. He shifted on the couch, moving closer to Jack.

“For what..?”

Jack seemed a little surprised to hear Rhys speak back and he jumped ever so slightly. In his current mental state, he wasn’t expecting a response. Swallowing heavily, he shook his head.

“For failing. For everything…”

Rhys frowned more deeply, confusion bubbling up in the front of his mind. He wasn’t sure if the man was apologizing for what he’d done to Rhys or for something else weighing on his conscience.

“I don’t understand, Jack.”

“Of course you don’t,” Jack almost whimpered, pulling slightly against Rhys’s embrace. “You can’t understand it since you weren’t here. You’ll never be here.”

Rhys shifted and wrapped his arms more firmly around Jack’s shoulders, pulling the man in close.

“I’m right here. I’m not  _ going _ anywhere, Jack… Tell me what’s wrong?”

Jack squeezed his eyes shut more tightly as he squirmed weakly in the younger man’s grasp.

“No…! You’re not. You’re dead because of me…”

Rhys flinched, taken aback by the statement. He blinked and frowned, slipping his arms free of Jack’s shoulders to cup the man’s face in his hands.

“Jack-? Jack I’m not--who’s dead, Jack?”

The touch to his face seemed to bring the man around as his eyes opened with a soft gasp. Meeting Rhys’s mismatched gaze with his own, Jack quickly diverted his gaze as he felt his eyes beginning to tear up.

“Nobody…”

Rhys exhaled softly, brushing his thumbs over Jack’s cheeks before dropping his hands back to his lap. He was curious, but pushing the matter seemed to be a poor idea.

“Do you need me to get anything for you..?”

Jack just shook his head and sat where he was. The older man wasn’t sure what just happened; the fact that he just divulged so much sensitive information and that he saw Rhys as her for a moment terrified him. Feeling a tear run down his face, Jack quickly brought a hand up to wipe it away.

“Shit…”

“Are you alright Jack?” Rhys asked softly, reaching out slowly to brush his fingers across Jack’s cheek.

“N-no..” Jack retorted rather weakly as he let Rhys’s fingers brush across his skin. He bit at the inside of his cheek before continuing. “I’ve  _ never _ been okay…” He shook his head and turned from Rhys so that he could ty to hide the pain he was feeling. “But it doesn’t freaking matter. I fixed it, I fixed myself. I’m better…”

Rhys looked at Jack, concern etched across his features as he dropped his hand to the sofa. The younger man was at a loss as to what to do to console Jack as he clearly struggled. After a few silent moments, Jack shook his head and looked back to Rhys with tears still in his eyes.

“I shouldn’t be bothering you with this kiddo.” He forced a smile onto his lips as he spoke. “That’s the past. We’re here now. We shouldn’t be dwelling on my past.”

Rhys smiled weakly, reaching out to brush Jack’s bangs from his face. “It’ll be okay, Jack.”

The CEO looked for a moment as if he were going to say something, but decided against it. Instead, he gave an affirmative nod to Rhys and smiled more genuinely at the younger man.

“Yeah. You’re absolutely right.”

Rhys returned the smile, leaning forward hesitantly and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Jack stayed still for a moment as he felt Rhys’s lips against his. It was still a little surprising that the younger man was so compliant with his wishes. He revelled in the thought, however, and continued to smile as he returning the kiss for a moment. Pulling away after a moment of enjoying the contact, he raised a brow at Rhys.

“So you’re okay with all of this?”

Rhys blinked, considering the question carefully before he answered. It was better than being Jack’s prisoner, by far. He smiled gently, giving Jack a small nod.

“Mhm.”

Both of Jack’s eyebrows raised in surprise at Rhys’s response. He became so used to the younger man’s resistance that the tension was an oddly comfortable constant. His smile grew to a wide grin as his tone gained an excited energy.

“Really…?”

Rhys gave another nod, smiling sheepishly as he shifted on the couch, clasping his hands in his lap.

“Really.”

A few moments of silence passed by as Jack processed what he was hearing.

“Oh Rhysie!!!” The older man reached over and pulled Rhys into a tight hug. “I am so glad to hear that! Things are gonna be so much better now!”

Rhys flinched in surprise, yelping softly when Jack pulled him in. He laughed nervously, slipping his arms around Jack’s torso to return the hug. He hoped that the man’s words were true, that things really would be better. They weren’t currently bad, but better was always good.

“I am so proud of you~!” Jack cooed, pressing a gentle kiss to the younger man’s temple. “My favorite man! Right here!” He was on a roll now, his giddiness making the CEO feel generous. “I’ll tell ya what kiddo. I’m gonna give you a reward. How’s that sound?”

Rhys couldn’t bite back a laugh at Jack’s exuberance, smiling as he pressed his face against the older man’s shoulder. He quirked an eyebrow, lifting his head at Jack’s last statement.

“Oh? Like what?”

Jack shrugged and replied simply, “Whatever you want.” He paused a moment before adding, “Well, within reason of course.”

Rhys paused, almost taken aback by the reply. His first instinct was to ask for a phone call to Vaughn, but it was a request he knew would be denied. Rhys was dead to the world now. He let out a slow breath, setting his head on Jack’s shoulder again and closing his eyes. He didn’t want for much, really. Jack took care of him.

“I’ll have to think about that,” he replied, nuzzling against Jack’s shoulder as they embraced.

“Mmmkay. Just let me know when you figure it out,” Jack hummed out as he relaxed back into the cushions of the couch. Gently rubbing at Rhys’s back, he kept a gentle grasp on the younger man. Jack finally had what he was missing back. It wasn’t exactly what he had before, but it was just as good. He was going to keep doing his job, sure, there were still reminders to be made. However, things were better now. He had Rhys now and there was no way he was going to let that go.

Rhys smiled, leaning into Jack’s embrace and settling in his arms. He shut his eyes, reveling in the warm sensation that washed over him. He sighed heavily, wanting nothing more at that moment than to curl up in Jack’s arms and go back to sleep. Having Rhys in his arms made Jack truly relax. He had someone to care for, someone who would listen, and he never wanted to lose that again. Running his hand up and down Rhys’s back in a mindless petting, he forgot momentarily about everything bad that had happened up until that point. However, he had to get back to work eventually. It had been too long since he had gone on a hunt. After a good couple of minutes, he finally spoke back up.

“Hey kiddo. I’ve got an idea…”

He was shaken from his daze when Jack spoke, causing Rhys to blink slowly and tilt his head up questioningly.

“And what’s that?”

A smile on his lips, Jack pulled Rhys a little closer with a strong hug. “I wanna take you with me on a real job. Just you and me going out to catch your first real kill. Sound like fun?”

Rhys froze, considering the statement. Surely nothing could be as traumatic as the kill in the basement had been. He bit his lip, shifting in Jack’s arms.

“Do you think I can…?” he asked softly, glancing up at Jack nervously.

“Yeah, of course I do!” Jack chimed back in a cheerful tone. “And besides. I’ll be there to help if things get too bad.”

Rhys swallowed and nodded, shifting nervously against Jack’s side. He fought back a wave of tremors, letting his head rest on Jack’s shoulder.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Well, you’ve watched some of my work. Have you learned anything?” Jack asked plainly.

“I-I don’t know… Besides when you-..you picked me up,” Rhys stammered, ducking his head sheepishly.

“Huh. And you didn’t really get to watch…” Jack smiled again as an idea came to mind. “How about you come and watch then? And practice afterwards?”

Rhys shivered, blinking and drawing his lip in between his teeth and chewing anxiously. He gave a hesitant nod, glancing up at Jack. “A-alright.”

“Aw, c’mon now Rhysie. Don’t act so scared. You’re with me. You’re safe.” Jack responded to Rhys’s actions with a disappointed tone.

“I-I know,” he replied quickly, shooting Jack a small smile. “I’m just...nervous. This is a big deal, yanno…”

“Of course it is kiddo! This’ll be your first hunt!” Jack grinned, excited by the conversation’s path. “But don’t worry. You’re with me. I’m an expert at this, so you’ll be fine.” He punctuated his sentence with a wink. “I promise that you’ll be safe with me, mmkay Rhysie?”

A light blush dusted across Rhys’s pale features, a hesitant smile crossing his lips as Jack spoke. Safe. He was safe with Jack, he knew that. “A-alright. Yeah. It-...it’ll be fine.”

“That’s the spirit pumpkin,” Jack chuckled, reaching up to ruffle the younger man’s hair. “You feel up to going out tonight or do I gotta wait?”

Rhys considered the question for a moment, glancing down as he leaned against Jack. It had been a while since their unfortunate foray into the desert and Rhys felt he had calmed considerably from the shock of it all.

“Tonight is fine,” he replied softly, letting his head rest against Jack’s shoulder.

“Great!” Jack chimed back as he let his hand fall from Rhys’s hair. He moved to wrap his arm around the younger man’s shoulders again and pull him closer. “We’re gonna have some real fun tonight kiddo.”

A gentle chuckle fell past Rhys’s lips, his eyes slipping shut again as he hoped that with an answer, Jack might let him go back to napping on the spacious couch. He shifted against the leather, hesitantly looping his arms around Jack’s torso.

“Rest up kiddo. This is a big night for you,” Jack cooed before relaxing back into the cushions of the large couch. Kicking his feet up onto the coffee table, the older man gently rubbed his hand down Rhys’s back. It appeared as if his plan was finally taking root. He was going to have his apprentice. He wasn’t going to be alone in his efforts to better Helios.

Rhys tried to fight back a shiver at Jack’s words, nuzzling against the man’s neck. Tonight, things were going to change drastically whether he wanted them to or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaaat, another update already!!! :0 It is truly a miracle praise the lord. Hope y'all enjoy! And if you're a fan, please feel free to come and hang out in our new [Discord server!](https://discordapp.com/invite/zNchhF3)
> 
> \-----
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys/pseuds/digirhys) and Jack by [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). You can find digirhys on tumblr at [digiirhys](http://digiirhys.tumblr.com) and [The Company Man](http://the-company-man.tumblr.com)! You can find handsomejohn on tumblr at [Hyperion-Trashboat](http://hyperion-trashboat.tumblr.com)!
> 
> Wanna hang out and have a chance to interact with us authors? Join our [Discord server!](https://discordapp.com/invite/zNchhF3) :D

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you're ready for a wild ride! :0
> 
> Rhys is written by [DigiRhys](http://archiveofourown.org/users/digirhys) and Jack is written by the lovely [Handsome John](http://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomejohn). We have about nine chapters worth of content written thus far and hopefully we'll be able to set a regular update schedule if our work and school schedules allow.
> 
>  
> 
> Constructive criticism is more than welcome!


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